BOOKS  I  LIKE 

AND  WHY  I  LIKE 
THEM 


The  St.  Louis  Public  Library 
Collection  of  Favorites 

Second  Edition 


PRICE,  TEN  CENTS 


ST.  LOUIS 
1913 


FOREWORD  TO  FIRST  EDITION 

THESE  twenty  lists,  each  of  which  is  by  a  different  person, 
and  no  two  by  the  same  one,  have  appeared  from  time  to 
time  in  the  pages  of  the  Monthly  Bulletin  of  the  St.  Louis 
Public  Library,  beginning  December  1910,  and  ending  with  Novem¬ 
ber  1912.  The  series  was  the  result  of  an  attempt  to  make  the 
personal  equation  count  for  a  little  more  in  the  compilation  of 
book-lists.  The  lists  are  the  expression  of  personal  likes,  not 
necessarily  of  critical  approval,  and  they  are  probably  in  most  cases 
not  lists  of  the  books  that  the  writers  like  best.  Nor  are  the  anno¬ 
tations  necessarily  critical,  although  they  may  be  so  in  some  cases. 
The  lists  are  precisely  what  the  title  indicates,  and  no  more 
than  this;  and  the  editor  has  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  good 
faith  of  the  various  writers.  He  does  not  believe  that  a  single  one 
of  them  is  posing. 

There  has  not  been  the  slightest  attempt  to  “balance”  the 
lists,  or  even  to  inquire  in  what  proportions  they  are  made  up 
of  one  or  another  class  of  literature.  Until  the  numerical  sum¬ 
mary  by  classes  was  made  for  the  present  compilation,  the 
editor  did  not  know,  for  instance,  whether  the  lists  contained 
more  history  than  travel,  or  vice  versa.  He  may  have  suspected  that 
fiction  would  lead ;  but  then  fiction  will  always  lead,  so  long  as  it 
is  the  only  class  of  literature  whose  writers  realize  that  it  is  their 
duty  to  interest  the  reader. 

The  number  of  authors  represented  in  the  twenty  lists  is  221  and. 
only  50  of  them  are  on  more  than  one  list.  The  catholicity  of  taste 
shown  in  the  lists  is  further  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  the  favorite 
author,  Clemens,  appears  in  only  six  of  the  twenty  lists,  and  that 
only  one  of  his  books  appears  in  two  lists.  None  of  the  favorite 
books  appears  in  more  than  three  lists  and  only  two  in  as  many 
as  this,  namely,  Kipling’s  Jungle  Book  and  Lear’s  Nonsense  Book. 
Besides  these,  only  20  books  appear  in  more  than  one  list.  This 
may  be  partly  due  to  the  avoidance,  in  making  out  the  lists,  of  titles 
that  had  appeared  previously,  but  it  appears  to  reflect  also  the 
variety  of  individual  taste. 

ARTHUR  E.  BOSTWICK. 

St.  Louis  Public  Library, 

December  1912. 

FOREWORD  TO  SECOND  EDITION 

The  unexpected  demand  for  this  collection  of  lists  has  made 
necessary  the  issue  of  a  new  edition.  The  matter  has  been  entirely 
reset,  mistakes  have  been  corrected,  and  the  whole  appears  jn  a 
more  fitting  dress. 


June  11th,  1913 


A.  E.  B. 


6-2-S.)  ■ 


Books  I  Like  and  Why  I  Like  Them 


No.  i 

Austen,  J.  Pride  and  prejudice.  69b 

I  like  the  delicate  style  which  gives  all  the  details  of  the 
little  picture  with  the  faithfulness  of  a  photograph.  Then,  I 
love  those  perfect  idiots^  Mrs.  Bennet  and  Mr.  Collins,  as  well 
as  the  eminently  sensible  Elizabeth. 

Carmichael,  M.  Life  of  John  William  Walshe.  69b 

The  style  of  the  book  interests  me,  and  I  love  the  character 
•  of  John  William  Walshe,  who,  with  all  his  saintliness,  has  his 
funny  little  whims  and  foibles. 

Clemens,  S.  L.  Huckleberry  Finn.  69b 

I  enjoy  the  excitement  and  humor  of  the  adventures  of 
ITuck  and  Nigger  Jim,  and  the  picture  of  the  life  on  the  great 
Mississippi  in  the  old  times. 

Dickens,  C.  Pickwick  papers.  69b 

The  characters  of  the  book  are  all  amusing  and  their  ad¬ 
ventures  are  highly  improbable,  but  very  funny.  My  favorite 
in  the  book  is  Sam  Weller,  whose  original  humor  is  only 
equaled  by  his  devotion  to  Mr.  Pickwick. 

Daudet,  A.  Letters  from  my  mill.  69b 

The  style  of  the  book  is  charming.  I  never  tire  reading 
the  stories  of  The  last  class,  M.  Seguin’s  goat,  The  pope  is  dead 
— in  fact,  all  of  them,  for  their  plots  and  atmosphere. 

Fletcher,  B.  and  B.  F.  History  of  architecture,  on  the  com¬ 
parative  method.  65a 

This  is  a  very  clear  exposition  of  a  subject  which  has  al¬ 
ways  interested  me.  By  the  system  of  comparisons  throughout 
the  book,  I  finally  got  to  know  the  difference  between  Byzan¬ 
tine  and  Romanesque,  and  English  and  French  Gothic,  which 
was  quite  an  achievement. 

Gregory,  A.  (P.),  Lady.  Gods  and  fighting  men.  15 

The  book  gives  a  vivid  picture  of  ancient  Ireland  and  is  full 
of  all  sorts  of  exciting  adventure.  I  love  the  half  real,  half 
fairy  Diarmuid,  Grania,  Finn  and  Ossian. 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Guerin,  E.  de.  Journal.  97b 

This  is  an  account  of  a  very  humdrum,  quiet  life,  but  ali 
the  little  details  are  treated  with  the  greatest  charm.  It  has 
many  lovely  bits  of  description  of  simple  things  whose  beauty 
is  overlooked  by  most  people.  Besides,  the  character  of 
Eugenie  herself  is  very  lovable. 

Joinville,  J.  de.  St.  Louis,  King  of  France.  97b 

The  life  of  one  of  my  greatest  heroes,  written  by  his  friend 
and  associate.  It  is  full  of  quaint  touches  and  interesting  de¬ 
tail,  giving  a  lively  picture  of  the  trials  and  joys  of  the  old  cru¬ 
saders. 

Shakespeare,  W.  As  you  like  it.  822.33 

The  outdoor  fairy  setting  of  the  play  in  the  Forest  of  Arden 
appeals  to  me.  I  also  enjoy  the  humor,  the  story  of  the  play, 
and  like  the  characters. 

Smith,  F.  H.  Gondola  days.  914.53 

In  the  first  place,  the  book  is  about  Venice.  Then,  it  tells 
of  many  interesting  things  that  you  do  not  get  any  idea  of  from 
sober  histories  or  practical  guide  books.  The  style  is  delightful 
and  personal. 

Stevenson,  R.  L.  Travels  with  a  donkey.  914.4 

This  is  a  story  of  leisurely  travel  in  a  country  which  inter¬ 
ests  me  very  much.  I  enjoy  the  outdoor  descriptions,  and  the 
little  incidents  of  the  journey.  In  addition,  I  admire  the  style 
of  the  book,  and  the  man  who  wrote  it. 

Tennyson,  A.  Idylls  of  the  king.  821 

All  the  mediaeval  romances  have  great  fascination  for  me, 
but  most  of  all  the  King  Arthur  cycle  of  stories.  The  far-away 
romantic  setting,  the  adventures  of  the  knights,  the  spells  of 
Merlin,  all  interest  me.  I  love  the  characters  in  these  stories, 
and  in  the  case  of  the  Idylls,  the  beautiful  way  Tennyson  tells 
of  them. 

Theocritus.  Idylls.  884 

The  pictures  of  the  life  of  the  old  Greek  shepherds  are  full 
of  beauty.  Many  of  their  thoughts  and  much  of  their  conversa¬ 
tion  is  very  modern.  The  idylls  made  me  feel  that  the  Greeks 
were  a  very  human,  companionable  people,  in  spite  of  their 
wonderful  achievements. 


No.  2 

Arabian  Nights.  398 

The  picture  of  an  alien  civilization  perfect  in  its  way  and 
as  stimulating  as  travel  to  the  stay-at-home,  while  its  wizardry 
is  as  fascinating  to  “grown-ups”  as  fairy  lore  is  to  children. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


5 


Bernard  of  Cluny.  De  Conspectu  Coeli. 

Filled  with  a  longing-  for  things  celestial  that  is  like  a 
sweet  pain.  The  translated  fragments  of  Neale — “Jerusalem 
the  Golden”  and  the  others — reflect  it,  but  only  faintly,  as  they 
are  unfortunately  in  a  different  metre. 

Bryce,  J.  American  commonwealth.  26 

The  most  just,  sympathetic  and  inspiring  account  of  things 
American  ever  penned. 

I)oyle,  A.  C.  Sherlock  Holmes.  69b 

An  example  of  how  one  may  come  to  love  the  impossible. 
No  one  ever  wrote  detective  stories  like  these  and  no  imitations 
have  approached  them.  As  fast  as  I  forget  the  plots  I  re-read 
them. 

Harland,  H.  Short  stories.  69b 

I  like  these  even  better  than  his  “Cardinal’s  Snuff-box,” 
which  is  a  masterpiece  in  its  way.  Humorous,  grotesque,  sweet, 
pathetic,  whimsical — altogether  adjective-exhausting  tales. 

Heine,  H.  All  his  lyrics. 

They  have  the  ballad-spirit,  its  careless  swing,  its  utter  lack 
of  the  complexities.  I  never'  tire  of  Die  Lorelei,  hackneyed  as 

it  is. 

Henry,  O.,  pseud.  Short  stories. 

The  inventor  of  new  forms  of  humor,  chief  among  them  the 
peculiar  use  of  big  words  and  stilted  phraseology  that  he  puts 
into  the  mouths  of  his  rough  and  semi-educated  characters. 
Besides  this,  the  humanity  and  kindliness  of  his  best  stories  and 
his  fertility  of  invention  makes  them  worth  reading. 

Holmes,  O.  W.  Autocrat  of  the  breakfast  table.  817 

One  of  the  few  really  humorous  American  books.  Most  of 
our  so-called  humor  is  wit — it  makes  you  laugh  aloud.  This 
makes  you  smile  inside. 

Hope,  A.,  pseud.  Dolly  dialogues.  69b 

Wit  that  is  epigrammatic  without  the  traditional  sting,  but 
instead  of  it  an  occasional  jolt  that  stimulates  thought.  Cyn¬ 
icism  with  touches  of  humanity. 

Kipling,  R. 

Nearly  all  the  short  stories,  especially  those  of  India,  like 
'‘The  man  who  was”  and  “The  man  who  would  be  king”;  and 
those  with  a  tinge  of  the  occult,  like  “The  greatest  story  in  the 
world”  and  “The  brushwood  boy.”  Kipling  is  distinctly  a  male 
story-teller;  he  is  discursive  when  discursiveness  lends  atmo¬ 
sphere,  and  incisive,  even  brusque,  when  the  story  requires  it. 
Every  tale  teems  with  richness;  he  never  dilutes. 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Melville,  G.  W.  In  the  Lena  delta.  919.8 

The  best-written  book  of  Arctic  adventure.  Heroic  deeds 
simply  told  by  a  hero. 

Poe,  E.  A. 

Almost  everything'  he  ever  wrote,  but  particularly  the  Cask 
of  Amontillado  and  The  Gold  Bug'.  The  greatest  literary  genius 
that  we  ever  produced. 

Ruskin,  J.  Modern  painters.  65c 

The  most  gorgeous  word-painting  ever  achieved  by  string¬ 
ing  together  English  syllables. 

Scott,  Sir  W.  Quentin  Durward.  69b 

The  peculiar  combination  of  Scott’s  genius  with  his  choice 
of  characters  and  setting  in  this  particular  book  has  always 
fascinated  me. 

Thomas  of  Celano,  Dies  irae.  9a 

This  wonderful  medieval  poem  is  as  relentless  as  a  thunder¬ 
storm  and  has  the  bass  music  of  some  of  Grieg’s  Scandinavian 
pieces. 

Trevelyan,  Sir  G.  O.  American  Revolution.  973.3 

The  most  successful  recent  attempt  to  make  the  dry  bones 
of  history  live.  It  is  so  anecdotal  as  to  be  almost  gossipy,  and 
yet  the  story  moves  steadily. 

Trollope,  A.  Novels,  especially  the  Barchester  series.  69b 
These  books  I  could  not  abide  when  I  was  younger,  but  the 
prosy  matter-of-factness  that  then  repelled  me  has  now  come 
to  exert  a  sort  of  chastened  fascination. 

Wells,  H.  G. 

Earlier  stories  such  as  The  Time  Machine,  The  Invisible 
Man  and  The  Island  of  Dr.  Moreau — these  I  like  far  better  than 
his  later  and  more  ambitious  efforts.  They  are  logically  worked 
out  and  there  is  allegory  between  the  lines  for  the  astute. 

Wilkins,  M.  E.  Short  stories.  69b 

Nearly  all  of  them  are  masterpieces  of  character  delineation 
in  a  somewhat  narrow  field.  She  has  unwittingly  done  New 
England  harm  by  leading  her  readers  to  regard  that  field  as 
co-extensive  with  reality,  but  that  is  not  her  fault. 

Wister,  O.  Lady  Baltimore.  69b 

Our  most  delicate  and  sympathetic  literary  workman,  who 
writes  only  when  he  has  something  to  say  and  then  says  it 
incomparably. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


7 


No.  3 

Amiel,  H.  F.  Amiel’s  journal.  97b 

The  author’s  power  of  self-analysis  and  his  vivid  poetical 
descriptions  appeal  to  me.  He  seems  to  feel  so  intensely  all 
the  beauty  by  which  he  is  surrounded  that  he  makes  it  visible 
to  the  reader.  Yet  the  undercurrent  of  hopeless  sadness  be¬ 
tokens  a  man  who  has  lost  his  hold  on  life. 

Bazin,  R.  La  terre  qui  meurt.  69e 

Not  only  the  author’s  even  and  forceful  style  and  beautiful 
French  are  pleasing,  but  the  story  is  so  striking.  It  depicts 
thq  threatened  conditions  in  French  agricultural  life,  the  deso¬ 
lation  of  the  land  deserted  by  the  younger  generation,  who 
swlarm  to  the  cities  to  fall  victims  to  poverty  and  disillusion. 
The  description  of  the  funeral  among  the  Fens  is  a  master¬ 
piece.  full  of  pathos,  and  so  vivid  that  it  passes  before  the 
eyes  like  a  reflection  of  the  real. 

Benson,  A.  C.  Thread  of  gold.  824 

A  collection  of  jewel-like  mosaics.  With  his  superlative 
love  of  nature  and  his  joy  in  all  beauty,  Benson  possesses  a 
rare  gift  of  expression;  the  very  phrasing  and  choice  of  words 
is  so  perfect  as  to  be  a  delight.  Over  all  the  delicate,  'fleeting 
impressions  of  humanity  and  nature  at  its  loveliest,  there  hov¬ 
ers  an  intangible  shadow.  One  feels  that  the  man  is  a  sufferer, 
mentally  or  physically,  that  his  grasp  at  times  becomes  weak, 
and  that  he  suffers  doubly  thereby. 

Benson,  E.  F.  The  Osbornes.  69b 

No  one  can  help  loving  the  good-hearted,  unpretentious 
family.  They  are  charming  because  so  natural  and  unassum¬ 
ing;  all  the  little  foibles  and  peculiarities  are  faithfully  por¬ 
trayed,  but  lose  force  among  the  lovable  qualities  of  the  old 
couple.  Their  unshaken  love  and  loyal  admiration  for  each 
other,  the  unspoiled  enjoyment  of  wealth  and  social  success, 
would  become  Baucis  and  Philemon. 

Brookfield,  C.  H.  E.  and  Mrs.  F.  Mrs.  Brookfield  and  her 
circle.  97b 

Intensely  interesting  because  it  introduces  one  so  inti¬ 
mately  to  people  of  note  and  achievement,  not  in  the  glare  of 
publicity,  as  they  are  usually  seen,  but  in  the  delightful  home 
circle  with  delightful  friends.  One  realizes  that  one’s  heroes 
are  human,  though  touched  with  the  divine  spark. 

Coulevain,  P.  de.  L’isle  inconnue.  69e 

The  writer  reveals  the  gift  of  impartial  judgment  to  an 
unusually  high  degree;  she  has  studied  national  characteristics 
with  an  unbiased  mind,  and  in  all  her  criticism  she  is  fair  alike 
in  praise  and  censure.  She  unerringly  puts  her  Anger  on  the 
weak  points,  but  tracing  them  to  their  causes,  makes  allow- 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ances.  Her  philosophy  of  life  is  sound,  and  like  a  true  opti¬ 
mist,  she  thinks  that  the  good  in  life  far  outweighs  the  evil. 

Dickens,  C.  Tale  of  two  cities.  69b 

Though  Dickens’  delicious  humor  is  greatly  missing  in 
this  book,  to  my  mind  it  is  the  most  dramatic,  powerful  thing 
he  ever  wrote.  He  seems  to  have  absorbed  the  troublous 
spirit  of  the  times;  his  grewsome  Madame  LaParge  has  be¬ 
come  a  living  personality  and  stands  for  the  horror  of  the 
Revolution,  while  Sidney  Carton  is  a  type  of  the  many  heroes 
of  the  Terror. 

Edwardes,  T.  Lift  luck  on  southern  roads.  914.2 

It  is  the  most  alluring  account  of  an  autumn  wandering. 
Haste  is  far  from  the  traveler’s  mind;  he  saunters  between 
hedgerows  bright  with  scarlet  foliage  and  berries,  over  downs 
where  the  breeze  nips  shrewdly,  through  misty  woods  w;ith 
leaves  rustling  under  foot,  asking  a  lift  on  his  way  from  any 
form  of  conveyance  passing,  and  exchanging  views  on  life 
with  many  quaint  characters. 

Evelyn,  J.  Diary.  97b 

Written  at  about  the  same  time  as  that  of  Pepys,  it  is  such 
an  utter  contrast,  that  both  should  be  read  to  obtain  a  cor¬ 
rect  impression  of  the  period.  JEvelyn,  too,  consorts  with  ..ie 
great  men  of  the  period,  and  has  to  do  with  state  affairs,  but 
finds  time  to  travel  much  and  read  widely.  He  is  full  of  dig¬ 
nity,  does  not  condescend  to  gossip,  and  is  interested  espe¬ 
cially  in  the  noteworthy  matters  of  the  day,  be  they  scientific, 
artistic  or  literary. 

Franck,  H.  A.  Vagabond  journey  around  the  world.  910.4 
The  pluck  and  endurace  of  the  man  move  to  admiration. 
He  undergoes  hardships  and  privations,  even  puts  his  life  at 
stake  scores  of  times,  but  he  sticks  to  his  purpose.  He  reveals 
the  shady  side  of  globe-trotting; .  we  see  the  world  from  a 
new  and  enlightening  point  of  view. 

Lowe,  W.  H.  Chronicle  of  friendships.  97b 

It  is  the  narrative  of  a  man  among  men;  thrown  among 
the  moving  spirits  of  the  artistic  and  literary  world,  his  chron¬ 
icle  runs  the  gamut  from  the  Bohemian  cameraderie  of  stu¬ 
dent  days  to  the  close  and  sympathetic  friendships  of  the  suc¬ 
cessful  artist.  In  the  pages  are  seen  R.  L.  Stevenson,  St.  Gau- 
dens  and  others  in  a  new  and  very  human  light. 

Maeterlinck,  M.  Pelleas  and  Melisande.  842 

In  addition  to  the  beauty  and  delicacy  of  the  style,  the 
poetry  of  the  language,  the  quaintness  and  mediaeval  char¬ 
acter  of  the  setting,  there  is  a  mysticism  about  the  story,  a 
half-felt,  underlying,  hidden  meaning  that  stimulates  the  im¬ 
agination,  and  tempts  one  to  the  thankless  task  of  interpreting 
another’s  ideas. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


9 


Morris,  W.  Well  at  the  world’s  end.  69b 

Morris’  tales  possess  the  charm  of  fairy  tales.  The  variety 
of  theme,  beauty  and  purity  of  phrasing-,  the  musical  flow  and 
cadence  of  the  lines,  and  fitness  of  treatment  to  times  are  en¬ 
trancing.  His  men  and  women  are  splendid  creatures  unspoiled 
by  civilization.  The  idyllic  quest  for  the  fabled  well  over 
sunny  plains  and  strange  rocky  fastnesses,  and  the  adventures 
of  the  seekers  fascinate  from  beginning  to  end. 

Pepys,  S.  Diary.  97b 

Possesses  an  unusual  interest  because  of  the  very  detailed 
account  of  his  times.  Holding  an  office  under  the  crown,  he 
was  closely  connected  with  the  court,  and  his  remarks  and 
(perhaps  innocently)  severe  criticisms  are  full  of  good  sense 
and  humor.  He  reveals  the  ins  and  outs  of  court  life  without 
restraint.  He  impresses  one  as  being  a  bustling  busy-body, 
fond  of  good  living,  fine  clothes  and  gossip,  with  his  finger  m 
many  pies. 

Phillpotts,  E.  Three  brothers.  69b 

Phillpotts’  stories  of  Devonshire  life  are  full  of  the  atmos¬ 
phere  of  the  country  he  pictures  so  lovingly  in  detail;  and 
he  unrolls  vista  after  vista  of  rolling  down  and  misty  hollow, 
broken  by  masses  of  beetling  crags.  His  characters  are  full 
of  quaint  wisdom  and  pithy  remarks.  The  three  brothers  are 
as  different  in  nature  as  in  appearance;  each  is  admirable  in 
his  way,  and  not  for  a  moment  is  any  individuality  lost  or 
weakened.  The  book  gains  in  strength  to  the  very  end. 

Waddington,  Mrs.  M.  A.  (K.)  Chateau  and  country  life  in 
France.  914.4 

Though  lacking  any  great  literary  merit,  the  book  is  chatty 
and  keeps  one  closely  in  touch  with  the  interesting  events  in 
court  life  and  diplomatic  circles  abroad,  with  a  charming 
picture  of  family  life. 


No,  4 


Austen,  J.  Emma.  69b 

All  of  her  novels  are  a  recreation;  being  old-fashioned, 

they  have  no  problems  to  vex. 

Balzac,  H.  de.  Pere  Goriot.  69b 

To  me  the  most  powerful,  terrible  and  yet  fascinating  tale 
I  ever  read. 

Burns,  R.  Poems.  821 

Next  to  Shakespeare  1  would  choose  Burns,  not  as  the 
greatest  poet — but  to  re-read  for  the  human  interest  in  his 
poems. 


10 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Carroll,  L.  Alice  in  Wonderland.  70 

A  source  of  joy  to  me  when  a  child,  though  its  peculiar  hu¬ 
mor  could  not  be  wholly  appreciated  until  later.  Some  one 
has  said  that  he  liked  Shakespeare  because  he  is  so  full  of 
quotations — even  so  Alice. 

Crothers,  S.  M.  Gentle  reader.  814 

These  are  such  cheerful  essays,  from  the  reader’s  point  of 
view,  and  brim  full  of  humor. 

DeQuincey,  T.  Confessions  of  an  English  opium  eater.  824 
My  interest  was  held  by  the  honesty,  the  horror,  perhaps, 
and  the  brilliancy  of  this  autobiography. 

Dickens,  C.  Our  mutual  friend.  69b 

On  the  whole,  I  believe,  the  most  interesting  of  Dickens’ 
works.  The  kindly  Boffins  give  a  cheerful  tone  to  the  whole 
story. 

Dunbar,  P.  L.  Folks  from  Dixie.  69b 

I  was  greatly  interested  in  these  bright  dialect  stories  be¬ 
cause  they  were  written  by  a  Negro  himself. 

Eliot,  G.  Silas  Marner.  69b 

It  stands  in  my  recollection  above  all  other  -ction — a  lit¬ 
erary  gem. 

Grahame,  K.  Golden  age.  69b 

A  lifelike  portrait  of  my  own  not  altogether  understood 
grown-up  relations  as  they  appeared  to  me  in  childhood.  Its 
style  is  delightful. 

Harris,  J.  C.  Uncle  Remus.  15 

Folklore  in  any  form  appeals  to  me,  but  I  enjoy  particu¬ 
larly  the  quaint  Negro  dialect  and  fancies  of  Uncle  Remus. 

Irving,  W.  Astoria.  917.8 

Pioneer  schemes  always  attract  me,  and  this  particular 
adventure,  a  part  of  our  history,  I  found  especially  interest¬ 
ing. 

Jenks,  T.  In  the  days  of  Goldsmith.  97b 

A  little  book  that  may  be  read  in  an  evening  or  two — a 
picturesque  and  entertaining  glimpse  of  the  man  and  his  time. 

Meredith,  G.  Egoist.  69b 

This,  of  course,  held  my  attention  by  its  mere  story  inter¬ 
est,  then  as  a  characteristic  work  of  Meredith.  Some  phases 
of  the  story  seemed  improbable  to  me,  but  it  has  suggested  the. 
fact  that  exaggerated  egotism  exists  in  numerous  cases  clothed 
in  as  many  fashions. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


11 


Sar  dars,  M.  F.  Honore  de  Balzac.  97b 

Certain  biographies  appeal  to  me  more  than  do  most  sto¬ 
ries,  and  this  is  one  of  them,  for  the  incidents  of  Balzac’s  life 
are  safely  removed  from  the  commonplace  and  a  knowledge 
of  nis  experiences  is  a  real  factor  in  the  enjoyment  of  his 
writings. 


No.  5 

Browning,  R.  and  E.  B.  Letters.  97b 

Liking  is  an  inadequate  word  for  the  feeling  with  which 
one  reads  this  self-revelation  of  two  beautiful  natures,  each 
so  eager  to  give  and  so  reluctant  to  demand  or  accept  sacrifice 
from,  the  other.  It  is  a  deep  satisfaction  to  find  in  their  lives, 
in  even  greater  measure,  the  nobility  that  inspires  their  verse. 
It  is  a  wonderful  love  story. 

Clemens,  S.  L.  Following  the  equator.  910.4 

On  the  whole,  I  like  Following  the  Equator  best  of  all  of  Mark 
Twain’s  books.  As  a  record  of  travel  it  is  vivid  and  accurate 
and  full  of  sympathetic  observation,  and  the.  humor  is  spon¬ 
taneous  and  unforced. 

Conrad,  J.  Romance.  69b 

I  like  Romance  because  it  is  romance;  packed  down,  heaped 
up  and  running  over.  It  is  crammed  full  of  adventure  related 
in  the  rich  and  sombre  vocabulary  in  which  Conrad  is  un¬ 
excelled. 

Dickinson,  G.  L.  Letters  from  a  Chinese  official.  29 

An  eloquent  comparison  of  two  civilizations  by  one  of  the 
most  accomplished  masters  of  English  style  writing  today.  A 
sympathetic  and  able  defense  of  Chines©  life  and  ethics  and  a 
severe  indictment  of  Western  arrogance.  There  is  much  food 
for  thought  in  the  finished  sentences  of  this  study  of  an  alien 
people. 

Galsworthy,  J.  Fraternity.  69b 

-  Man  of  property.  69b 

To  my  mind  Galsworthy  is  the  ablest  novelist  of  the  pres¬ 
ent  time.  He  lays  bare  the  weaknesses  of  society  with  an  ap¬ 
palling  clearness  and  brilliancy,  and  yet  he  is  not  hard.  Al¬ 
though  he  unflinchingly  “paints  the  things  as  he  saw  them," 
there  is  infinite  compassion  in  his  attitude.  That  he  attempts 
no  solution  of  the  unforgetable  problems  he  presents  makes 
him  none  the  less  an  artist. 

Hewlett,  M.  The  queen’s  quair.  69b 

This  story  of  Queen  Mary  of  Scotland  has  made  her  more 
intelligible  to  me  than  any  of  her  historians  have  succeeded  in 
doing.  The  traditional  charm,  which  has  so  completely  eluded 


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her  portrait  painters,  does  seem  hers  in  these  pages,  and  the 
background  of  intrigue,  treachery  and  brutality  of  the  Scot¬ 
tish  court  brings  out  her  figure  as  that  of  one  greatly  sinned 
against  as  well  as  sinning. 

James,  H.  The  Princess  Casamassima.  09b 

This  seems  to  me  the  most  touching  and  tragic  of  the  sto¬ 
ries  of  Henry  James.  It  is  simply  told,  quite  free  from  the 
twists  and  inversions  that  disfigure  his  later  work,  but  ful7.  of 
penetration  and  subtlety.  The  figure  of  Hyacinth  is  almost 
unbearable  in  its  pathos. 

Janvier,  T.  A.  In  the  Sargasso  Sea.  69b 

The  most  interesting  sea  story  I  ever  read,  possibly  be¬ 
cause  it  is  less  nautical  and  less  given  to  riggings  and  "ship 
ahoys”  than  most  of  its  class.  The  old  sailors’  legend  of  the 
South  Atlantic  has  been  skillfully  used  as  the  basis  of  the 
story,  and  to  my  mind  the  recent  scientific  expedition  that  has 
demonstrated  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  the  Sargasso 
Sea  might  have  been  more  usefully  employed^ 

Kipling,  R.  The  jungle  books.  70 

For  the  lover  of  animals  and  the  lover  of  fairy  tales  there 
is  many  an  hour  of  unalloyed  enjoyment  to  be  found  in  the 
company  of  Mowgli  and  his  friends  and  tutors  of  the  jungle. 
Nowhere  does  Kipling’s  genius  weave  a  stronger  spell  than 
in  these  stories  for  children  of  all  ages. 

Lamb,  C.  Essays  of  Elia.  824 

Not  all  the  praises  of  all  the  critics  have  been  able  to  take 
away  the  charm,  that  abides  in  The  essays  of  Elia.  Their  quaint¬ 
ness  and  grace  and  quiet  humor  are  a  perennial  refreshment. 

Martin,  Mrs.  G.  (M.)  Emmy  Lou.  69b 

I  like  Emmy  Lou  because  she  is  absolutely  convincing.  A 
simple,  ingenuous  child,  she  moves  and  breathes  and  has  her 
being  in  the  daily  round  of  childish  experiences.  Her  story  is 
so  well  told  that  one  sees  only  the  clear  little  picture  and  for¬ 
gets  the  art  that  painted  it. 

Meynell,  Mrs.  A.  C.  (T.)  The  rhythm  of  life,  and  other 
essays  824 

It  is  their  fineness  and  distinction  that  gives  these  essays 
their  place  in  my  regard.  Fresh  in  thought  and  exquisite  in 
expression,  they  are  perfect  of  their  kind. 

Moody,  W.  V.  The  fire  bringer.  812 

On  first  reading  The  fire  bringer  I  felt  that  here  at  last  was 
an  American  who  was  a  poet  that  wrote  of  great  themes  in 
the  grand  style.  It  does  not  suffer  by  comparison  with  the 
Greek  dramas  on  which  it  is  modeled,  and  its  majesty  and 
beauty  give  it,  in  my  estimation,  the  first  place  in  the  achieve¬ 
ments  of  its  author. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


13 


Shakespeare,  W.  Hamlet  822.33 

Whenever  I  re-read  Hamlet,  or  see  it  acted,  I  wonder  why 
I  have  allowed  so  much  water  to  flow  under  the  bridge  since 
last  enjoying  that  great  pleasure.  It  is  for  me,  as  for  a  pro¬ 
founder  critic,  “The  topmost  flower  on  the  tree  of  literature," 
and  the  feeling  with  which  the  volume  is  closed  is  that  of  abso¬ 
lute  satisfaction. 

Shakespeare,  W.  Macbeth.  822.33 

It  is  for  sheer  beauty  of  sound  that  I  read  Macbeth,  and 
wale  through  its  seas  of  blood. 

Shaw,  G.  B.  Plays.  822 

I  have  a  great  admiration  for  Bernard  Shaw,  notwith¬ 
standing  his  colossal  impertinences.  He  is  so  keen,  so  logical 
and  so  witty,  and  his  most  daring  attacks  on  conventions  are 
so  esentially  clean-minded,  that  I  find  him  wholesome  as  well 
as  stimulating. 

Thackeray,  W.  M.  Henry  Esmond.  69b 

According  to  the  science  of  eugenics  Henry  Esmond 
would  have  no  showing  at  all  in  the  hero  class,  but  he  contin¬ 
ues  to  hold  his  own  in  my  affections  and  loses  nothing  by  com¬ 
parison  with  the  invincible  gentlemen  that  reform  politics  and 
bust  trusts,  or  drive  motor  cars,  in  the  newest  fiction.  Witn 
all  his  faults,  and  perhaps  because  of  them,  I  love  film  still, 
and  certainly  I  could  better  spare  many  a  better  man. 

Tolstoi,  L.  N.  War  and  peace.  69b 

It  is  in  the  thousand  naive  pictures  of  youth,  of  the  indi¬ 
vidual  and  of  the  race,  that  I  find  the  charm  of  this  great 
mosaic.  Nowhere  can  I  recall  such  a  portrayal  of  the  vague 
yearnings  and  holy  aspirations  of  human  souls  finding  expres¬ 
sion  in  unworthy  and  inadequate  actions,  to  the  bewilderment 
and  despair  of  the  actors  themselves.  The  glass  is  held  up  to 
nature  and  it  is  living  figures  that  it  reflects. 

Wells,  H.  G.  A  modern  Utopia.  69b 

No  form  of  fiction  interests  me  more  than  the  ideal  states 
that  philosophers  have  imagined,  and  of  these  sociological 
dreams  that  of  Mr.  Wells  pleases  me  most.  His  pictured  civili¬ 
zation  appears  so  reasonable,  so  possible,  that  it  seems  incred¬ 
ible  that  we  go  on  in  the  old  sordid,  blundering  way  when 
the  path  to  a  more  beautiful  world  has  been  so  clearly  pointed 
out. 

Yeats,  W.  B.  Land  of  the  heart's  desire.  822 

When  facts  and  machinery  and  brick  walls  have  become 
unendurable,  there  is  a  way  of  escape  to  Fairyland  by  the 
pleasant  path  of  the  Land  of  the  heart’s  desire.  Glamor  and  illu¬ 
sion  are  in  its  atmosphere  and  the  sense  of  unseen  but  com¬ 
pelling  powers  surrounding  mortal  men.  The  effect  of  spon¬ 
taneity  in  a  deliberate  going  back  to  old  forms  and  feelings  is 
quite  remarkable. 


14 


ST.  IyOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


No.  6 

Arnold,  M.  Sohrab  and  Rustum.  821 

Filled  with  the  splendor  and  fatalism  of  the  East.  One  of 
the  most  stirring-  pieces  of  blank  verse  in  our  language. 

Clemens,  S.  L.  Innocents  abroad.  i)14 

I  think  the  author  never  had  so  much  fun  as  when  living 
and  writing  this  book. 

Eliot,  G.,  pseud.  Daniel  Deronda.  09b 

The  nearest  to  romance  that  the  author  ever  came. 

Emerson,  R.  W.  Essays.  814 

Not  to  be  read  in  large  installments,  but  full  of  unexpected 
inspirations. 

Fiske,  J.  Critical  period  of  American  history.  973.3 

The  most  absorbing  volume  of  any  American  historian. 

Gray,  T.  Elegy  written  in  a  country  church-yard. 


Its  polished  verses  appealed  to  me  early  and  I  have  never 
ceased  to  be  fond  of  them. 

Green,  J.  R.  History  of  the  English  people.  942 

The  author  himself  loves  his  subject,  and  tells  the  story 
of  his  England  with  an  affectionate  eloquence. 

Hawthorne,  N.  Twice  told  tales.  69b 

I  like  them  better  than  Poe’s  because  they  are  less  in¬ 
tense  and  never  horrible.  The  style  has  -a  wonderful  even 
flow. 

Kipling,  R.  Jungle  books.  70 

They  are  unique.  No  talking  animals  ever  seemed  life¬ 
like  before. 

Milton,  J.  Lycidas.  821 

For  its  *  high  seriousness”  and  lyric  beauty. 

Roosevelt,  T.  American  ideals.  304 

They  are  a  good  tonic  for  any  of  us. 

Scott,  Sit  W.  Lady  of  the  lake.  821 

Not  great  poetry,  but  great  romance. 

Shakespeare,  W.  Plays  and  sonnets.  822.33 


It  is  quite  impossible  to  choose  from  among  them,  but  his 
name  heads  the  list. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  DIKE  THEM  15 

Tennyson,  A.  Locksley  Hall.  821 

It  is  so  altogether  musical. 

Thackeray,  W.  M.  Henry  Esmond.  69b 

One  of  the  most  lovable  characters  in  English  fiction — a 
reflection  perhaps  of  the  author  himself. 

Seton-Thompson,  E.  Lives  -of  the  hunted.  69b 

The  reader  shares  the  author’s  sympathy  with  the  splen¬ 
did  animals,  whose  very  superiority  over  their  fellows  makes 
each  a  mark  for  the  hunter,  and  carries  each  off  in  his  prime. 

Wordsworth,  W.  Ode  on  intimations  of  immortality.  821 


It  will  draw  anyone  to  at  least  an  abstract  love  of  nature, 
and  many  of  its  lines  are  unforgetable. 


No.  7 

Allen,  J.  L.  A  summer  in  Arcady.  69b 

His  books  read  like  the  best  of  the  “old  country”  novels. 
The  warm,  deep  background  of  local  history  and  color  often 
makes  me  forget  that  he  was  born  and  raised  in  the  “New 
World.”  And  then,  the  fine  portraiture  of  the  moods  of  men 
rather  than  their  actions,  the  presentation  of  general  truths 
in  the  garb  of  his  local  personages,  lifts  him  to  the  pedestal 
of  a  first  class  author. 

Dickens,  C.  Tale  of  two  cities.  69b 

Practically  all  the  characters  of  this  story  have  vanished 
from  my  mind  except  Sidney  Carton,  who  is  a  live  man  with 
me  today  as  he  was  at  the  moment  when  the  axe  of  the  guil¬ 
lotine  fell  upon  him.  The  dramatic  turn  in  the  road  of  Car¬ 
ton’s  almost  wasted  life,  this  supreme  act  of  revived  love  and 
friendship,  his  instantaneous  conversion  to  splendid  manhood, 
are  lodged  in  my  memory  as  a  powerful  preachment. 

Hilty,  C.  Happiness.  170.4 

The  two  opposing  forces  of  philosophy  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Christian  era,  i.  e.,  the  Stoic  school  of  thought  and  the 
teachings  of  Jesus,  both  still  throbbing  with  ever  increasing 
vitality,  have  finally  been  welded  into  a  harmonious  whole  in 
the  seven  little  essays  of  this  Swiss  thinker. 

Hyde,  W.  DeWitt.  From  Epicurus  to  Christ.  5 

The  Epicurean  pursuit  of  pleasure,  genial  but  ungenerous; 
the  Stoic  law  of  self-control,  strenuous  but  forbidding;  the 
Platonic  plan  of  subordination,  sublime  but  ascetic;  the  Aristo- 
telean  sense  of  proportion,  practical  but  uninspiring;  and  the 
“Christian  spirit  of  love,  broadest  and  deepest  of  them  all,” 
are  the  five  great  themes  here  treated.  The  reading  of  this 
book  requires  no  academic  preparation. 


16 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


London,  J.  Call  of  the  wild. 


69b 


Heredity,  environment  and  free  will,  we  are  told,  are  the 
three  determinants  of  man.  Does  the  last-named  attribute 
enter  into  a  dog’s  life?  London  assumes  it  does  and  so  makes 
“Buck”  almost  a  rational  creature.  Around  this  nucleus  a 
story  is  built  up,  bristling  with  originality  and  descriptive 
talent.  To  know  “Buck”  is  to  love  him. 

Morgan,  L.  H.  Ancient  society.  51 

If  the  present,  with  all  its  complexities,  is  the  outcome  of 
the  human  mind  of  the  past,  then  man  stands  bewildered  in 
the  presence  of  his  own  creation.  Smarting  under  that  bewil¬ 
derment  I  read  this  book  and  the  enlightenment  which  I  have 
gained  from  it  has  made  me  forever  indebted  to  the  pains¬ 
taking,  scholarly  author.  The  answer  to  that  stubborn  ques¬ 
tion,  “Quo  vadis  domine!”  given  in  this  standard  work  on  eth¬ 
nology  is  the  prediction  of  the  revival,  in  a  higher  form,  of  the 
religion,  the  liberty  and  the  fraternity  of  the  ancient  “gentes.” 


Morley,  M.  W.  Life  and  love. 


591 


This  is  no  book  of  slushy  sentimentality,  nor  i£  it  an  ar¬ 
ray  of  dry  scientific  facts,  but  a  true  story  of  nature  and  her 
methods  of  reproduction  as  only  a  woman  can  write  it.  The 
delicacy  of  thought  and  expression,  the  poetic  insight  by 
which  she  reveals  nature  as  God’s  willing  handmaid  makes 
this  little  volume  superb  reading  for  young  and  old. 


Morris,  W.  Story  of  Sigurd. 


821 


Morris  is  to  me  the  poetic  story-teller  by  right  divine. 
There  is  so  much  metrical  prose  palmed  off  for  poetry,  so  much 
smart  juggling  with  iambic  and  dactylic  measures;  in  a  word, 
so  much  bombastic  counterfeit  in  the  province  of  rhyme  and 
rhythm  that  I  heave  a  sigh  of  relief  when  I  read  and  re-read 
the  “Story  of  Sigurd.”  Redeemed  sensuousness  and  purified 
passion  are  in  every  line  and  stanza.  Form  and  substance  are 
simple  and  natural.  The  ensemble  approaches  the  ideal  of  all 
beauty,  which  is  that  the  highest  of  art  and  the  purest  of  na¬ 
ture  shall  be  identical. 

Ouida,  pseud.  Under  two  flags.  69b 

I  can  not  forget  Cigarette’s  dog-like  faithfulness  to  the  man 
of  her  choice,  who  was  a  half-god  to  her  and  to  me.  The 
heroes  of  this  book  are  primitive  in  their  feelings  and  spon¬ 
taneous  in  their  expression  of  them;  they  have  held  fast  to 
my"  memory  for  almost  a  score  of  years.  Bold  men  and  wom¬ 
en  who  wade  through  armies  and  deserts  in  upholding  their 
simple  ideals;  “whose  souls  seek  the  stars  while  their  bodies 
are  racked  with  hunger.”  All  this  is  so  strange  to  me,  so 
wonderful  and  yet  so  real,  real  as  the  sun  and  the  stars  are 
real  in  spite  of  their  immense  distances. — To  me  this  simple 
love  story  has  been  the  true  type  of  “romance.” 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


17 


Peabody,  J.  P.  The  piper.  812 

As  boys  and  girls  we  enacted  the  “Pied  piper”  in  our  child¬ 
ish  pla?;s.  .  .  .  To  the  concept  of  that  pathetic  legend  the 

author  has  added  a  new  charm,  by  making  the  children — real, 
live  children — the  conspicuous  part  of  the  dramatic  argument, 
without  in  the  least  disturbing  the  historic  tone  of  mystifica¬ 
tion  In  reading  it  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  an  old  friend 
with  a  new  heart. 

Schreiner,  O.  Trooper  Peter  Halket.  69b 

The  conflict  of  flint-hard  realism  and  supernatural  ideal¬ 
ism  cast  in  the  mould  of  a  polemic  of  South-African  commer¬ 
cial  policies.  Finely  artistic  in  construction,  strong  in  dra¬ 
matic  power,  and  bold  and  original  in  conception.  The  author 
holds  a  unique  place  in  the  modern  world  of  letters. 

S  ie,  E.  History  of  a  proletarian  family  across  'the  ages.  69b 
7b  The  universal  history  of  the  civilized  world  since  the  time 
c  Christ  is  written  in  these  pages.  The  force  that  guides  the 
jScthor’s  hand  is  the  spirit  of  democracy  as  he  traces  its  incip- 
i  icy  and  growth  through  the  Christian  era.  Wrapped  in  the 
i  an  tie  of  romanticism,  written  with  the  skill  of  a  Maupassant 
a.Jd  the  power  of  a  Carlyle,  this  work  stands  in  my  mind  as 
the  greatest  “purpose”  novel  ever  penned. 

No.  8 

Andersen,  H.  C.  Wonder  book.  70 

Of  all  the  tales  “The  Snow-Queen”  has  always  been  my 
favorite.  I  pity  the  child  who  has  so  many  books  that  An¬ 
dersen’s  stories  are  not  re-read  frequently. 

Bible.  Job .  7 

Its  poetic  dignity  and  humanity  make  it  my  favorite  of 
the  books  of  the  Bible.  I  prefer  it  in  the  beautiful  King  James 
Version. 

Browning,  R.  The  ring  and  the  book.  821 

It  is  Browning’s  analysis  of  inner  motive  which  most  ap¬ 
peals  to  me.  I  like  “to  see  the  wheels  go  round.”  The  great¬ 
est  interest  and  beauty  are  reached  in  the  parts  entitled 
I.  The  ring  and  the  book.  VII.  Pompilia.  X.  The  Pope. 

Burns,  R.  Poems.  821 

There  never  comes  a  Sunday  so  depressing  that  Burns  does 
not  comfort  and  inspire  me.  His  poems  are  lullaby  songs  to 
me.  They  bring  me  back  to  the  sanity  and  beauty  of  life. 

Cellini,  B.  Autobiography.  97b 

As  a  picture  of  the  Renaissance,  a  human  document  and 
a  piece  of  literature,  it  seems  to  me  great.  Cellini  is  so  frank 
that  at  times  I  fairly  hold  my  breath.  He  is  the  prototype  of 
all  the  swashbuckling  heroes  of  later  times,  first  cousin,  it 
seems  to  me,  to  D’Artagnan. 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Chaucer,  G.  Canterbury  tales:  The  prologue.  821 

The  opening-  lines  seem  to  me  unsurpassed.  Many  of  the 
tales  fail  to  reach  me;  some  are  absolutely  repulsive,  but  the 
Prologue  I  like  all  through. 

Coleridge,  S.  T.  The  ancient  mariner.  821 

The  poem  has  only  revealed  itself  to  me  in  the  last  few 
years.  Now  it  holds  me  breathless.  I  can  no  more  get  away 
from  the  horror  of  it  than  could  the  Ancient  Mariner  himself. 

Darwin,  C.  Origin  of  species.  46a 

A  wonderful  book  which  gains  with  each  re-reading.  It  ±s 
so  simply  set  forth  that  it  reads  as  easily  as  a  novel  and  makes 
science  less  appalling  to  the  .unscientific. 

it, 

Daudet,  A.  Tartarin  on  the  Alps.  (^h;J 

It  is  the  humor  of  Daudet  which  makes  me  particulars.)*; 
fond  of  Tartarin.  The  idea  of  a  company  arranging  and  t  lU; 
ploiting  the  Alps  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  a  scenic  rj f  er. 
way  seems  to  me  irresistible.  Daudet  never  says  a  word  r>9nr_ 
much,  but  in  a  few  lines  sets  before  you  his  picture  of  beau^  ,  n- 
sadness  or  humor. 

Eliot,  G.,  pseud.  Middlemarch.  69b 

It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  see  the  characters  develop  as  the 
story  marches  to  its  inevitable  conclusion. 

Fiske,  J.  Idea  of  God.  6f 

It  takes  ^e  to  the  regions  of  the  eternal  verities  and 
helps  me  to  feel  a  little  more  sure. 

Gilbert,  W.  S.  The  Bab  ballads.  821.04 

They  are  so  entirely  funny.  What  should  we  do  without 
“Gentle  Alice  Brown.” 

Kipling,  R.  Kim.  69b 

I  like  it  because  it  is  so  picturesque.  Its  philosophy,  re¬ 
ligion,  humor,  ethics,  description  of  India,  its  manners  and 
customs,  all  appeal  to  me.  There  are  ho  really  unlovely  char¬ 
acters  portrayed  and  some  most  lovable  ones. 

Lear,  E.  Nonsense  songs.  70 

One  of  my  earliest  recollections  is  of  my  mother  singing 
“The  Owl  and  the  Pussy  Cat”  to  my  great  satisfaction.  It  has 
never  lost  its  charm  to  me. 

Modern  ghosts.  69b 

This  is  a  fine  collection  of  ghost  stories.  Maupassant’s 
“The  Horla”  seems  to  me  the  most  convincing  ghost  story  I 
have  ever  read  and  I  am  very  much  addicted  to  ghosts. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


19 


Morris,  W.  The  well  at  the  world’s  end.  69b 

Morris’  books  are  fairy  tales  for  “grown-ups”  to  me.  Their 
beautiful  diction,  simplicity  and  purity  of  imagination  make 
them  all  delightful  reading. 

Motley,  J.  L.  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic.  949.2 

I  find  it  a  noble  and  inspiring  story.  To  me  its  interest 
never  flags. 

Pater,  W.  Appreciations.  824 

I  particularly  enjoy  Apollo  in  Picardy,  but  the  fine  style 
and  beautiful  English  of  the  whole  book  appeal  to  me. 

Russell,  W.  C.  The  frozen  pirate.  69b 

I.  like  sea  stories,  pirate  stories  and  Arctic  exploration. 
This  book  combines  all  three  with  humor  added. 

Scott,  W.  Old  Mortality.  69b 

I  do  not  know  when  I  first  began  to  read  this  boo.;.  I 
must  confess  to  reading  with  enjoyment  even  the  long  Intro¬ 
ductions  to  Scott’s  novels.  The  Scotch  Covenanters  were  in 
themselves  a  most  interesting  people.  In  Scott’s  hands  they 
are  a  people  of  pure  romance  as  alluring  and  much  more 
wholesome  than  the  nobility  of  French  romance. 

Shakespeare,  W.  The  tempest.  822.33 

I  like  Prospero,  Ariel  and  Caliban.  I  like  to  contrast 
Shakespeare’s  Caliban  with  Browning’s  Caliban  upon  Setebos. 
Both  are  human. 

Shelley,  P.  B.  The  sensitive  plant.  821 

Its  beauty  and  delicacy  of  sentiment  make  it  an  unfailing 
source  of  joy  to  me. 

Stevenson,  R.  L. 

I  find  that  I  can  not  choose,  I  can  not  imagine  giving  up 
either  Travels  with  a  Donkey,  An  Inland  Voyage,  The  Black 
Arrow  or  Treasure  Island,  to  say  nothing  of  the  later  books. 

Tolstoi,  L.  N.  The  resurrection.  69b 

I  read  it  for  courage.  It  seems  so  convincing.  And  if 
there  were  possibilities  of  clean  living  and  redemption  for 
Kattisha  and  Nekhludoff  it  seems  to  me  that  the  world  is  not 
such  a  bad  place  after  all. 

Whitman,  W.  The  open  road.  811 

It  expresses  the  joy  of  the  open  air.  No  tramp  (I  do  not 
mean  hobo)  can  afford  to  pass  it  by.  It  has  given  its  name  to 
a  collection  of  poems  made  by  Lucas  which  is  a  good  com¬ 
panion  for  a  Sunday’s  tramp. 


20 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


No.  9 

Addams,  J.  Twenty  years  at  Hu^  House.  331 

A  book  not  more  illuminating  in  its  recital  of  the  author's 
heroic  struggle  for  the  alleviation  of  human  misery,  and  the 
uplift  of  the  masses,  than  in  its  revelation  of  her  rare  per¬ 
sonality. 

Annunzio,  G.  d\  Francesca  da  Rimini.  852 

For  sheer  beauty  of  expression  and  artistry  of  construc¬ 
tion,  I  think  we  have  little  in  modern  literature  that  can  sur¬ 
pass  this  dramatic  version  of  the  famous  legend. 

Bennett,  E.  A.  Buried  alive.  69b 

A  flawless  bit  of  humor. 

Couch,  A.  T.  Quiller.  Oxford  book  of  English  verse.  821.08 
I  know  of  no  more  delightful  book  with  which  to  while 
away  odd  moments,  when  in  a  lazy  mood.  One  meets_here  only 
the  poets  at  their  best  and  may  browse  happily  through  the 
pages  without  fear  of  disillusionment  by  chill  encounters  with 
them  at  their  worst. 

Dumas,  A.  The  three  musketeers.  69b 

The  colossal  audacity  of  the  ubiquitous  D’Artagnan  and 
his  inimitable  three,  their  daring  deeds  that  never  were  on 
land  and  sea,  and  the  author’s  splendid  indifference  to  the 
hampering  considerations  of  time,  space  and  possibility,  have 
always  filled  me  with  keen  delight. 

Galsworthy,  J.  The  little  dream.  822 

Exquisite  in  conception  and  imagery. 

-  The  patrician.  69b 

Of  rare  beauty  and  finish  of  workmanship — a  subtle  criti¬ 
cism  of  the  modern  British  aristocracy  and  a  prophecy  of  its 
passing. 

Hardy,  T.  The  return  of  the  native.  69b 

A  masterpiece  in  gray  tones,  sombre  and  majestic — its 
gloom  lighted  by  flashes  of  humor,  rustics  truly  Shakespearean, 
an  unrivallea  description  of  nature.  A  book  not  easily  for¬ 
gotten. 

Hearn,  L.  Japan.  915.2 

To  me  a  thoroughly  interesting  study  of  the  history,  re¬ 
ligion  and  customs  of  the  Japanese.  While  the  work  is  care¬ 
ful  and  conscientious  it  is  not  so  exhaustive  as  to  be  exhaust¬ 
ing  and  the  author’s  sympathetic  standpoint  and  pleasing  style 
make  for  entertaining  reading. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


21 


Ibsen,  H.  Peer  Gynt.  839.82 

This  wierd  drama  fascinates  by  the  wild  music  of  its 
rhythm,  its  pervading  note  of  mysticism  and  baffling  symbol¬ 
ism,  and  perhaps  by  the  difficulty  of  its  interpretation. 

Kelly,  M.  Little  citizens.  69b 

— -  Wards  of  liberty.  69b 

These  skillful  pen  pictures  of  New  York’s  foreign  children, 
passing  through  the  crucible  of  the  public  school  grip  one  by 
their  truthfulness  to  child-life  and  their  poignant  mingling  of 
laughter  and  tears. 

Lagerloef,  S.  O.  L.  The  wonderful  adventures  of  Nils.  j398 
A  unique  text-book  in  the  form  of  a  charming  fairy  tale. 
The  boy  Nils  for  his  malice  and  cruelty  is  transformed  into 
an  elf  and  carried  on  the  back  of  a  wild  goose  over  Sweden, 
learning  much  not  only  of  its  geography  and  history,  but  of 
the  value  of  kindness  and  gentleness. 

Sharp,  W.  (Fiona  McLeod.)  Dominion  of  dreams;  Under 
the  dark  star.  69b 

Steeped  in  beauty  and  the  witchery  of  Celtic  lore — the 
light  of  the  spiritual  mingled  with  the  darkness  of  paganism 
and  superstition. 

Wells,  H.  G.  Future  in  America.  917.3 

One  of  the  few  foreign  studies  of  this  country  which  are 
not  amusing  to  an  American  owing  to  the  prejudices  and  hasty 
judgments  of  the  authors.  Mr.  Wells  shows  a  keen  and  alert 
comprehension  of  the  conditions  and  problems  of  America 
life. 


No.  10 

Barrie,  J.  M.  .Little  minister.  69b 

On  account  of  the  delicious  story  and  character  of  the  hero, 
who  is  a  brick.  I  don’t  care  so  much  for  Babbie. 

Browning,  E.  B.  Sonnets  from  the  Portuguese.  821 

Exquisite  sentiment  in  musical  verse. 

Browning,  R.  In  a  balcony.  821 

Realizes  my  ideal  of  good  poetry  in  that  it  is  neatly  put, 
in  brief  compass,  and  deals  beautifully  with  a  rather  difficult 
subject. 

Deland,  M.  Old  Chester  tales.  69b 

Tells  interestingly  of  the  kind  of  town  that  I  would  pre¬ 
fer  to  live  in,  and  about  the  kind  of  people  that  I  should  like 
to  associate  with. 


22 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Doyle,  A.  C.  Sherlock  Holmes.  69b 

So  interesting-  and  exciting  that  one  does  not  stop  to  in¬ 
quiry  whether  its  often  impossible  events  are  credible  or  not. 
The  only  detective  stories  that  make  me  sit  up  at  night. 

Eliot,  G.,  pseud.  Adam  Bede.  69b 

Because  its  mixture  of  tragedy  and  humor  comes  so  near 
to  the  realities  of  human  life. 

Gaskell,  Mrs.  E.  C.  Cranford.  69b 

Whether  true  to  life  or  not,  it  surely  seems  so  and  is  vastly 
entertaining.  I  have  read  it  eleven  or  twelve  times  and  it  im¬ 
proves  on  acquaintance. 

Greely,  A.  W.  Three  years  of  Arctic  service.  919.8 

The  best  of  all  the  Arctic  books,  excelling  all  others  in  its 
vivid  pictures  of  the  far  north  and  its  true  tales  of  suffering 
and  heroism.  I  dislike  Peary’s  books.  There  is  too  much 
Peary  in  them. 

Hichens,  R.  S.  Garden  of  Allah.  69b 

Makes  you  feel  as  if  you  had  been  to  the  desert  yourself 
and  found  it  a  friendlier  place  than  you  had  supposed.  Some¬ 
thing  new  in  the  way  of  a  story. 

Hugo,  V.  M.  Les  Miserables.  69b 

The  most  powerful  and  heart-rending  story  I  ever  read — 
and  most  stories  do  not  rend  my  heart  at  all. 

Jewett,  S.  O. 

Tells  the  exact,  truth  about  a  region  and  characters  with 
which  I  am  thoroughly  familiar,  in  the  most  fascinating  man¬ 
ner  possible.  Whenever  I  am  blue  I  read  one  of  her  stories  and 
it  cheers  me  up,  as  a  talk  with  a  dear  friend  might  do. 

Kipling,  R.  Jungle  book.  70 

I  like  all  animal  stories,  and  Kipling’s  animals  are  not 
figureheads.  They  live  and  move  and  have  their  being;  and  I 
am  certain  that  they  talked  just  as  he  reports  them. 

Phillpotts,  E.  Secret  woman.  69b 

A  thrilling  story  from  beginning  to  end,  told  in  language 
that  is  almost  lurid.  The  best  of  the  author’s  stories.  “Lying 
Prophets,”  ms  first,  is  the  next  best. 

'Robins,  E.  Magnetic  North.  69b 

I  15ve  all  stories  of  adventure  in  lands  of  ice  and  snow; 
and  this  is  exceptionally  well  told. 

Roberts,  C.  G.  D.  Heart  of  the  ancient  wood.  69b 

The  most  beautiful  story  of  the  woods  that  ever  was  writ¬ 
ten.  The  free  life  of  the  woodland  creatures,  untrammeled  by 
the  stupid  laws  of  society,  appeals  to  me. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


23 


Stephens,  C.  A.  Camping  out.  70 

So  interestingly  told  and  about  such  an  interesting  subject 
that  its  literary  merits  or  demerits  pass  unregarded.  It  prob¬ 
ably  possesses  no  literary  value  whatever. 

Tennyson,  A.  Idylls  of  the  King.  821 

Favorites  of  my  younger  days,  because  I  regarded  them  as 

*  absolutely  true  to  life  and  expected  to  become  an  Enid  or  an 
Elaine  myself  at  any  minute.  I  know  better  now,  but  I  love 
the  rhythmic  verses  because  I  loved  them  when  I  was  young. 

Thackeray,  W.  M.  Virginians.  69b 

*  Because  I  read  it  at  an  impressionable  age,  when  it 
seemed  to  me  a  wonderful  portrayal  of  character.  I  still  like 
it  better  than  other  books  of  the  author  that  are  more  popu¬ 
lar  or  more  highly  regarded. 

Ward,  Mrs.  M.  A.  (A.)  Sir  George  Tressady.  69b 

The  best  modern  English  novel,  and  very  far  ahead  of  any 
other  of  the  same  author.  Both  in  force  and  in  sentiment  it 
stands  unsurpassed.  Yet  the  author  has  written  books  hardly 
superior  to  the  works  of  Mary  J.  Holmes. 

White,  S.  E.  The  rules  of  the  game.  69b 

The  story  of  a  dead  failure  in  business,  who  found  his 
niche  by  taking  to  the  woods  where  he  belonged. 

Wister,  O.  The  Virginian.  69b 

The  prettiest  love-story,  told  with  the  keenest  humor, 
that  I  ever  read. 

Wyss,  J.  R.  Swiss  Family  Robinson.  70 

I  love  this  quaint,  old-fashioned  tale,  with  its  stilted  con¬ 
versation  between  dear,  impossible  characters  whose  wooden  • 
adventures  are,  strange  to  say,  vastly  entertaining. 


No.  11 


Barrie,  J.  M.  M!argaret  Ogilvie.  97b 

A  series  of  intimate  pictures  in  the  life  of  the  author’s 
mother,  frankly  and  lovingly  portrayed. 

Brandes,  G.  M.  C.  Oil  reading.  028 

This  little  dissertation  covers  the  subject  in  a  few  dozen 
pages  and  answers  the  questions 
Why  should  we  read? 

•  What  should  we  read? 

How  should  we  read? 


24 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Cholmondeley,  M.  The  Danvers  jewels.  69b 

One  of  the  best  detective  stories  I  ever  read. 

Clemens,  S.  L.  Pudd’nhead  Wilson.  69b 

This  is  not  a  remarkable  book,  but  I  enjoy  the  extracts 
from  Pudd’nhead  Wilson’s  Calendar  found  at  the  head  of  each 
chapter.  For  instance — April  1.  The  day  on  which  we  are  re¬ 
minded  of  what  we  are  the  other  three  hundred  and  sixty-four. 

Read  for  yourself  what  he  has  to  say  on  Circumstantial 
evidence. 

Edwards,  A.  B.  A  thousand  miles  up  the  Nile.  S.S.916.2 
This  ponderous  tome  looks  forbidding1,  but  rewards  the  un¬ 
daunted.  “A  donkey-ride  and  a  boating  trip  interspersed  with 
ruins”  prove  delightful  when  personally  conducted  by  Miss 
Edwards,  who  was  an  archaeologist  of  note. 

Evans,  R.  D.  A  sailor’s  log.  97b 

Fighting  Bob  is  a  successful  raconteur.  His  varied  experi¬ 
ences  furnisn  good  copy  whether  the  scene  is  laid  in  Chile, 
Behring  Sea  or  Germany,  where  he  took  part  in  the  opening 
of  the  Kiel  Canal  and  entertained  royalty.  The  description  of 
the  part  taken  by  the  Iowa  in  the  sea  fight  at  Santiago  is  a 
fitting  climax  for  a  sailor’s  log. 

Fields,  J.  T.  Yesterdays  with  authors.  928 

A  series  of  delightful  personal  reminiscences  of  the  au¬ 
thor’s  friendship  with  Thackeray,  Dickens,  Hawthorne  and 
other  great  writers  who  were  their  contemporaries. 

Gulick,  L.  H.  The  efficient  life.  Mq 

- —  Mind  and  work.  31e 

Sensible  talks  which  are  worth  re-reading.  Both  books 
contain  ‘‘practical,  up-to-date  suggestions  which  should  enable 
the  brain  worker  to  run  his  bodily  machinery  so  as  to  improve 
his  general  efficiency.” 

Harris,  J.  C.  Uncle  Remus  stories.  15 

I  like  these  tales  because  they  are  folklore  studies  and  also 
because  they  are  mighty  entertaining  yarns.  I  admire  espe¬ 
cially  the  Tar-baby  who,  when  trouble  is  brewing,  “says  noth¬ 
ing”;  and  even  when  the  situation  becomes  more  trying  ‘  Tar- 
baby  keeps  on  saying  nothing.” 

Hensel,  S.  The  Mendelssohn  Family.  97 

I  like  the  description  of  the  simple  home  life  of  the  infor¬ 
mal  Sunday  afternoon  musicales  which  were  open  to  thelir 
friends,  and  also  the  letters  which  passed  between  Felix  and 
his  gifted  sister  Fanny.  There  is  a  charming  descriptipn 
written  by  Fanny,  of  the  first  performance  of  Midsummer- 
night’s  Dream  given  with  the  incidental  music. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


25 


Hugo,  V.  ’Ninety-three.  69b 

The  historical  novel  has  been  defined  as  a  book  that  is 
neither  historical  nor  novel.  Victor  Hugo  may  have  over¬ 
looked  some  of  the  historical  data  of  this  period,  but  Ninety- 
three  is  worth  reading  for  its  novel  situations  and  incidents, 
including  the  encounter  on  shipboard  of  the  man  with  a  gun 
which  has  escaped  from  its  moorings. 

Huneker,  J.  G.  Iconoclasts;  a  book  of  dramatists.  809.2 
The  first  volume  consists  of  characterizations  of  modern 
dramatists,  including  Ibsen.  Hauptmann,  Sudermann,  Gorky, 
and  Maeterlinck.  The  second  volume  deals  largely  with  mu¬ 
sical  subjects.  The  sketches  are  brilliant  and  always  read¬ 
able  whether  or  not  one  agrees  with  the  writer’s  point  of  view. 

Jefferies,  R.  Field  and  hedgerow.  123 

One  of  the  companionable  books  that  tempts  us  out  of 
doors  and  keeps  us  there.  Mr.  Jefferies  has  recorded  faithfully 
and  sympathetically  the  life  of  field  and  hedgerow,  and  has 
included  many  a  quaint  custom  of  the  country  folk. 

Lucas,  E.  V.,  ed.  The  open  road;  a  little  book  for  way¬ 
farers.  828 

A  good  book  to  read,  from  cover  to  cover,  in  the  open,  and 
an  equally  good  book  to  read  when  one  is  storm-bound  on  a 
bleak  winter  day. 

Scott,  Sir  W.  The  talisman.  69b 

My  first  knowledge  of  the  Crusaders  was  acquired  through 
the  Talisman  and,  ever  since,  they  have  been  invested  with 
the  glamour  of  the  East.  The  contests  of  prowess  between 
Richard  Coeur  de  Lion  and  Saladin  are  very  picturesque  and, 
at  times,  dramatic. 

Turgenev,  I.  S.  Fathers  and  children.  69b 

A  strong  novel,  depicting  the  depressing  conditions  of  Rus¬ 
sian  life.  The  characters  show  resignation — or  is  it  simply 
hopelessness  in  the  face  of  unalterable  conditions? 

Wendell,  B.  The  France  of  to-day.  914.4 

A  few  years  ago,  Mr.  Barrett  Wendell  lectured  at  the 
French  universities  and,  in  this  volume,  he  has  recorded  his 
impressions  of  the  French  people  at  home,  their  education,  so¬ 
ciety  and  government.  The  book  is  decidedly  worth  while,  for 
Mr.  Wendell  has  something  to  say  and  says  it  in  a  very  enter¬ 
taining  way. 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


No.  12 


Blake,  Wm.  Poems.  821 

The  mystic  and  lyric  quality  of  this  verse  sets  the  imagina¬ 
tion  soaring  into  strange,  undreamed  of  worlds. 

Borrow,  G.  Romany  Rye.  69b 

The  wayside  fires,  the  patterans,  the  gypsy  camps,  the  pro¬ 
cession  of  strange  characters  are  full  of  romance  and  irre¬ 
sistible  fascination. 

Burne-Jones,  Lady.  Memoirs  of  Sir  Edward  Burne-Jones.  97b 
An  intimate,  gossipy,  appreciative  picture  of  one  of  the 
interesting  groups  of  modern  men. 

Burton,  Sir  Richard.  Personal  narrative  of  a  pilgrimage  to 
El  Medinah  and  Meccah.  915.3 

The  story  of  a  singular  and  dangerous  journey  and  the 
revelation  of  a  remarkable  personality. 

Hope,  A.  Phroso.  69b 

A  gojod  yarn — the  kind  one  sits  up  with  all  night. 

Homer.  Odyssey;  tr.  by  Palmer.  883 

This  splendid  translation  has  preserved  the  feeling,  the 
stirring  power  and  inspiration  of  the  ancient  epic. 

Jefferies.,  R  Life  of  the  fields.  824 

The  lure  of  field  and  wood  and  hedgerow  handled  with  the 
most  delicate  appreciation. 

Kingsley,  C.  Hereward  the  Wake.  69b 

Hereward  is  the  most  elemental  type,  but  a  real  true  hero 
nevertheless,  the  embodiment  of  those  wild  and  lawless  times. 

Macaulay,  T.  Lays  of  ancient  Rome.  821 

These  verses  are  tremendously  inspiring  to  me,  perhaps  be¬ 
cause  of  the  sturdy  old  Roman  spirit  behind  them. 

Malory,  Sir  T.  Morte  d’ Arthur.  398.2 

The  Arthurian  legend  is  my  favorite  theme  in  literature, 
and  it  finds  its  most  perfect  expression  in  the  middle  English 
of  Malory’s  version. 

Moore,  T.  Epicurean.  69b 

I  like  this  for  its  imagination,  mystery,  and  poetic  feeling. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


27 


Nicolay  and  Hay.  Abraham  Lincoln.  97b 

This  is  to  me  the  most  wonderful  of  biographies.  It  is  the 
life  of  a  world  hero  interpreted  by  two  great  men  who  knew 
and  loved  him  well. 

Pyle,  H.  Robin  Hood.  70 

I  will  admit  I  am  old  indeed  when  the  joy  of  the  green 
wood  and  the  merry  adventures  of  these  lusty  yeomen  cease 
to  appeal  to  me. 

Ruskin,  J.  Nature  of  Gothic,  fr.  Stones  of  Venice.  65a 

This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  word  pictures  in  English. 

Snaith,  J.  C.  Araminta.  _  69b 

The  abandoned  whimsicality  of  this  pleases  something  in 
me  tremendously. 

Sophocles.  Antigone.  882 

The  heroine  of  this  old  classic  seems  to  me  the  most  splen¬ 
did  conception  of  womanly  "courage  and  dignity. 

Stockton,  F.  R.  Queen’s  museum  and  other  fanciful  tales.  69b 
The  humor  of  these  is  delightful.  Hermits,  griffins,  necro¬ 
mancers,  dryads,  and  such  fanciful  beings  are  all  mixed  up 
with  every-day  people  in  the  most  charming  fashion. 

Thompson,  F.  Shelley.  821 

A  poet’s  ideal  of  a  poet. 

Wilde,  O.  The  importance  of  being  earnest.  822 

In  clever  dialog  this  play  stands  alone. 

- House  of  pomegranates.  822 

These  little  allegories  are  poems  in  prose— exquisitely  beau¬ 
tiful. 


No.  13 

Brooks,  Bp.  Phillips.  Life  and  letters  of  Phillips  Brooks,  by 
Alexander  V.  G.  Allen.  97b 

• - Sermons.  lid 

These  I  love  because  his  life  was  an  illustration  of  the 
faith  he  preached,  too  broad  to  be  hampered  by  denominational 
littleness,  too  big  to  be  measured  by  the  world  itself.  Of  how 
few  preachers  can  it  be  said,  as  of  him,  that  his  sermons  were 
his  biography.  They  make  tangible,  and  then  restfully  clear 
away,  many  vague  spiritual  gropings. 

His  letters,  like  Stevenson’s,  are  so  full  of  simple,  boyish, 
unaffected  charm  that  they  delight  me.  They  all  show,  grave 
and  gay  alike/  how  much  humanity  meant  to  him. 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Cable,  G.  W.  Grandissimes  (and  all  his  Creole  stories.)  69b 
They  are  full  of  a  romantic  charm.  The  dialect  is  deli¬ 
ciously  musical.  What  could  be  a  more  pathetically  perfect 
picture  than  that  of  Madame  Delphine?  It  seems  a  little  hard 
that  a  people  could  resent  such  loving1  portraits. 

Clemens,  S.  L.  Personal  recollections  of  Joan  of  Arc.  69b 
An  exquisite  memory  picture  of  Joan  of  Arc,  purporting  to 
have  been  written  by  her  page  and  secretary,  and  later  trans¬ 
lated  into  English.  The  style  is  simple  and  beautiful,  and  the 
feeling  use  of  words  makes  us  truly  live  again  with  her,  and 
realize  as  never  before,  the  heroic  unselfishness  of  her  pitifully 
short  life. 

- The  prince  and  the  pauper?  70 

This  has  the  additional  glamour  of  having  been  a  child¬ 
hood  favorite  that  made  one  period  of  history  very  real  to 
me.  After  reading  it  I  needed  nothing*  more  to  convince  me 
of  the  author’s  hatred  for  all  shams  and  tender  sympathy  for 
all  forms  of  suffering  and  oppression. 

Farnol,  J.  Broad  highway.  69b 

Full  of  the  charm  of  not  only  the  highway,  but  of  the 
lanes  and  hedges.  It  is  a  story  of  good  clean  adventure,  and 
a  distinct  relief  just  now.  After  reading  it  I  felt  as  if  I  had 
taken  a  deep  breath  of  fresh  country  air. 

Harper’s  young  people.  70 

I  should  not  care  to  reread  the  early  volumes  that  I  loved. 
They  are  a  precious  memory,  associated  with  the  dear  old 
numbers  of  the  St.  Nicholas  in  the  Mary  Mapes  Dodge  days. 

James,  Wm.  Talks  to  teachers  on  psychology,  and  to  stu¬ 
dents  on  some  of  life’s  ideals.  4b 

They  are  not  only  for  teachers,  but  for  every  one  who  has 
lived  and  wondered.  They  make  some  of  the  hard  problems 
seem  very  simple,  and  show  what  a  sane  course  a  really  great 
investigator  can  follow. 

Kipling,  R.  Kim.  69b 

I  read  this  serially,  and  almost  counted  the  days  for  tne 
next  number.  When  it  was  finished  I  sat  down  and  revelled  in 
its  completeness.  As  a  picture  of  a  fascinating  country  it  is 
so  steeped  in  atmosphere  that  “Kim”  seems  one  of  my  verv 
own  friends. 

Lear,  E.  Nonsense  books.  j827 

They  have  amused  children  for  years,  and  done  more  to 
rest  tired  men  and  women  than  all  the  books  on  relaxation  put 
together. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


29 


Martin,  G.  M.  Emmy  Lou.  69b 

Every  one  who  loves  children  should  know  and  love  Emmy 
Lou.  She  has  helped  to  make  understandable  the  round-about 
working’s  of  many  an  earnest  little  mind. 

Palmer,  A.  F.  Life  by  G.  H.  Palmer.  97b 

It  is  g-ood  to  read  a  life  so  simple  and  natural  as  hers, 
and  yet  so  far-reaching-  in  its  influence  for  g-ood.  Her  hus¬ 
band  has  written  feelingly  of  one  who  was  dear  to  many  peo¬ 
ple. 

Ward,  T.  H.  English  poets.  821.08 

Finding  these  years  ago  in  a  second-hand  book  store,  I  had 
the  joy  of  “discovering”  for  the  first  time  some  of  the  poems 
that,  with  equal  joy,  I  learned  later  were  among  the  great 
and  beautiful  ones  of  the  English  language. 


No.  14 

Browning,  Robert.  Poems.  821 

Browning’s  poetry  fascinates  me,  because  he  is  so  essen¬ 
tially  masculine  in  his  thought  and  workmanship  that  I  can¬ 
not  always  get  his  point  of  view.  Also,  I  like  his  occasional 
sentiment  and  his  optimistic  philosophy. 

Bjornsen,  Bjornstjerne.  Synnove  Solbakken.  69b 

A  simple  story  of  peasant  life  in  Norway  which  is  both 
realistic  and  poetic  and  which  brings  me  into  intimate  rela¬ 
tions  with  truly  childlike  people.  I  read  it  when  I  am  tired 
of  Ibsen’s  people. 

Bunyan,  John.  Pilgrim’s  Progress.  llg 

I  liked  this  first  for  its  dramatic  qualities.  It  was  read 
aloud  to  me  and  was  to  me  “a  play.”  I  like  it  now  for  its  Pur¬ 
itanic  religious  spirit  and  its  allegorical  interpretations  of  life. 

Carlyle,  Mrs.  Jane  Baillie  (Welsh).  Letters  and  memorials 
of  Jane  Welsh  Carlyle;  prepared  for  publication  by 
Thomas  Carlyle;  ed.  J.  A.  Froude.  97b 

I  like  biography  in  the  informal  and  personal  form  of 
letters.  These  show  the  spirit  of  a  sturdy  Scotch  woman  in  her 
struggle  to  adjust  herself  to  ill  health,  limited  finances  and  the 
details  of  home-keeping  for  a  morose  and  irritable  man  of 
genius  whom  she  dearly  loved  and  admired.  That  she  was  ap¬ 
preciated  is  shown  in  the  many  foot  notes  signed  T.  C. 

Drummond,  W.  H.  Johnnie  Courteau  and  other  poems.  811 
Not  a  great  book,  but  I  have  read  it  again  and  again  for 
its  humor,  its  pathos,  and  its  depiction  of  the  character  of  the 
French-Canadian. 


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ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Emerson,  R.  W.  Essays.  814 

Emerson  sums  up  for  me  in  one  terse  sentence  what  seems 
to  have  been  latent  in  my  mind  and  sets  me  thinking-. 

Hardy,  Thomas.  Ear  from  the  madding  crowd.  69b 

In  spite  of  the  title  and  the  rural  setting  this  story  is  so 
true  to  human  nature  that  it  pleases  my  fancy  from  the 
opening  chapter  where  Bathsheba  appears  sitting  on  the  top 
of  a  load  of  household  goods  admiring  herself  in  a  mirror  to 
the  end  where  she  invites  Gabriel  Oak’s  proposal  with  fem¬ 
inine  wiles. 

Harland,  Henry.  My  friend  Prospero.  69b 

I  like  the  cheerful  philosophy  of  this  “soldier  of  fortune,” 
his  chivalrous  spirit  and  his  wit.  I  also  like  the  modern  at¬ 
mosphere  of  the  story  and  its  literary  style.  It  is  entertaining 
and  restful. 

Kingsley,  Charles.  Letters  and  memories  of  his  life;  ed. 
by  his  wife.  2  v.  97b 

These  letters  show  the  many  sided  interests  of  an  English 
country  parson;  his  devotion  to  his  church,  his  interest  in  so¬ 
cial  problems,  his  love  of  books,  his  long  friendships,  his  in¬ 
terest  in  geology  and  botany;  his  devotion  to  his  wife  and 
children.  One  cannot  read  this  personal  record  without  real¬ 
izing  the  sweetness  and  nobility  of  the  man  and  the  far-reach¬ 
ing  influence  of  his  seemingly  uneventful  life. 

Lamb,  Charles.  Essays  of  Elia.  824 

It  is  difficult  to  define  one’s  feelings  for  Charles  Lamb,  but 
I  like  his  delicate  sentiment  and  the  elusive  quality  of  his 
humor. 

Lear,  Edmund.  Book  of  nonsense.  Ref.  j827 

Truly  childlike  humor. 

MacDonald,  George.  Sir  Gibbie.  69b 

The  most  pathetic  child  in  fiction  and  one  of  the  most 
lovable. 

Parkman,  Erancis.  La  Salle  and  the  discovery  of  the  Great 
West.  973.2 

Reads  like  a  romance  and  one  feels  the  insistent  adventurous 
spirit  which  was  the  real  dominant  force  in  the  exploration  and 
colonization  of  America. 

Stevenson,  R.  L.  Treasure  Island.  70 

I  like  the  action  and  characterization  and  the  fact  that 
there  is  tragedy  and  yet  no  love-making. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


31 


No,  15 


Browning,  Mrs.  E.  B.  Sonnets  from  the  Portuguese.  821 
The  most  sublime  expression  of  a  woman’s  love  that  I 
know. 

Clemens,  Samuel  L.  PudcTnhead  Wilson.  69b 

I  wish  that  I  might  have  written  this  book.  Pudd’nhead’s 
quaint  philosophy  and  the  hair-raising  incidents  that  follow 
upon  the  interchange  of  the  negro  and  white  babies,  form  a 
most  diverting  tale. 

Horatius  Flaccus,  Q.  Odes.  874 

Of  all  the  ancients  to  me  Horace  seems  the  most  modern. 
His  lyre  is  so  much  in  tune  with  our  times,  that  as  I  read  I 
forget  the  centuries  that  divide  us.  I  love  his  warm-hearteu- 
ness  and  his  broad,  practical  philosophy.  His  life  and  works 
are  as  refreshing  to  us  today  as  they  must  have  been  to  the 
busy  men  of  his  own  time. 

Hugo,  Victor  M.  Poems.  841 

Though  his  romanticism  is  a  bit  out  of  fashion,  I  love  the 
poet’s  gentle  fancies.  He  finds  beauty  in  the  most  common¬ 
place  things.  His  horizon  is  broader  than  Burns’,  but  like  him, 
he  has  a  deep  sympathy  for  everything  weak,  tender,  or  trivial. 

Mitchell,  J.  A.  Villa  Claudia.  69b 

Admirers  of  Horatius  Flaccus  ought  to  enjoy  this  modern 
love  story,  the  scene  of  which  is  laid  on  the  site  of  Horace’s 
Sabine  farm.  The  plot  is  woven  about  the  poet’s  boast  that 
whoever  drinks  of  his  wine  would  be  lifted  to  Olympus  and 
would  taste  joys  beyond  all  imaginings.  The  book  is  steeped  in 
sensuous  beauty  and  color. 

Rostand,  Edmond.  Cyrano  de  Bergerac.  842 

This  witty  Frenchman  has  never  drawn  a  character  with 
a  mind  so  keen,  or  a  soul  so  big,  so  romantic,  or  so  lovable  as; 
the  glorious  Cyrano. 

Sudermann,  Hermann.  Dame  Care.  69b 

This  beautiful  story  of  a  son’s  noble  self-denying  life  is 
&  told  with  wonderful  understanding  and  pathos. 

White,  S.  E.  Silent  places.  69b 

This  is  the  story  of  a  winter  in  the  frozen  North.  The 
plot  is  simple  and  the  style  rugged,  and  the  atmosphere  is  so- 
*  perfect  that  as  I  read,  the  terrible,  oppressive  stillness  creeps 
over  me  and  I  am  transported  to  the  “Silent  places.0 


32 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


No.  16 

Baldry,  A.  L.  Sir  John  Everett  Millais.  97b 

This  is  not  remarkable  in  any  literary  way,  but  because  of 
its  many  beautiful  illustrations,  it  has  made  me  familiar  with 
the  works  of  this  great  painter. 

Cotes,  Mrs.  S.  J.  A  social  departure.  910.4 

One  of  the  most  entertaining  books  of  travel  that  I  have 
ever  read.  The  travelers,  two  young  English  women,  are  each 
happily  possessed  of  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  which  enables 
them  to  make  the  best  of  many  a  trying  adventure,  in  their  un¬ 
chaperoned  journey  around  the  world. 

Duncan,  Norman.  Dr.  Luke  of  the  Labrador.  69b 

I  am  very  fond  of  this  tale  of  the  bleak  coasts  of  Labrador. 
The  author  shows  a  very  sympathetic  understanding  of  the 
human  heart  in  his  delineation  of  the  character  of  the  doctor, 
who,  repentant  of  his  dissipated  youth,  devotes  the  remainder 
of  his  life  to  the  comforting  of  the  sorrows  and  ills  of  the  poor, 
ignorant  fisher-folk  among'  whom  chance  has  placed  him. 

Hawthorne,  Nathaniel.  A  wonder  book  for  girls  and 
boys.  j292 

These  old  stories  retold  in  such  a  charming  manner  have 
never  lost  their  fascination  for  me.  The  writer’s  gentle  fancv 
has  embellished  the  “classic  coldness”  of  these  myths,  and 
made  them  far  more  pleasing  to  me. 

Jacobs,  W.  W.  s  Light  freights.  69b 

I  always  read  eagerly  stories  of  the  sea  and  sea-faring 
men,  and  these  overflow  with  fun  and  good  humor. 

Johnson,  C.  Isle  of  the  Shamrock.  914.15 

An  interesting  account  of  rambles  on  foot  and  in  jaunting 
cars  through  the  villages  of  the  Irish  peasantry.  The  beautiful 
illustrations,  of  course,  add  much  to  the  charm  of  this  bock. 

Kipling,  R.  The  five  nations.  821 

I  like  the  swing  and  the  rugged  force  of  Kipling’s  vers;e — 
especially  in  “The  sea  and  the  hills,”  “The  bell-buoy,”  and  “The 
recessional.”  1 

Parker,  Sir  Gilbert.  Pierre  and  his  people.  69b 

One  can  not  restrain  a  liking  for  that  queer  mixture^  of 
good  and  bad — Pierre,  the  Canadian  half-breed. 

Pennell,  J.  P.  Modern  illustration.  65c 

This  book  is  especially  pleasing  to  me,  because  it  treats  of 
an  art  that  I  have  always  longed  to  learn. 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


33 


Steel 

ideaj 

diplf 

sessl 

atm<| 

Ten! 


farm 

poeti] 

Of/ 

to 

th4 


F.  A.  On  the  face  of  the  waters.  69b 

’his  tale  of  the  Indian  mutiny  of  1857  gives  one  a  good 
of  the  character  of  the  natives,  r  ,1  the  great  tact  and 
>macy  necessary  ffo,  successful^  governing  a  people  pos- 
?d  of  so  many  //.o  prelttfice*.  It  *  full  of  the  restless 
^sphere  of  the  East. 

[nyson,  A.  Poetic  and  dramatic  works.  821 

’ennyson  is  my  favorite  poet — perhaps  because  I  am  more 
[liar  with  his  works  than  with  those  of  any  other  poet.  His 
ry  is  so  pure  in  thought,  so  rich  in  melody  and  imagery. 
f\s  shorter  poems,  “Crossing  the  bar,”  especially  appeals 
because  it  is  the  expression  of  a  deep  hope  and  faith  in 
life  eternal. 


hu" 


tin  Dyke,  H.  J.  The  other  wise  man.  69b 

One  of  the  sweetest  Christmas  stories  that  I  have  ever 
ad. 

[atson,  J.  (Ian  Maclaren).  Beside  the  bonny  brier  bush.  69b 
I  like  these  humble  Scottish  stories  with  their  mingling  of 
Imor  and  pathos. 


BeJ 

set 

yef 

ke* 

Bui 

art] 

em] 

to 

bu 

all< 

Cal 


No.  17 

ison,  E.  F.  Book  of  months. 


828 

fThe  thougnts  and  fancies  of  a  very  clever  man  are  here 
forth,  the  chapters  being  named  for  the  months  of  the 
r.  The  book  is  of  compelling  interest,  and  one  experiences 
Jn  pleasure  in  reading  it. 


[rnett,  F.  H.  Dawn  of  a  to-morrow. 


69b 


The  characters  are  powerfully  drawn  and  the  situations 
dramatic.  I  like  Glad’s  philosophy,  which  is  worthy  of 
lulation.  She  says:  “If  things  ain’t  cheerful,  peopl’s  got 
\be,”  and  “I’m  used  to  bein’  ’ungry  and  cold  an’  all  that, 
-but  I  allers  like  to  see  what’s  cornin’  to-morrer.  There’s 
irs  somethin’  else  to-morrer.” 


tie,  Agnes  and  Egerton.  If  youth  but  knew.  69b 

It  seems  to  me  that  few  writers  of  the  present  day  can 
rel  the  Castles  in  the  weaving  of  romance,  pure  and  simple, 
ere  is  a  wonderful  charm  about  their  work, — the  fancy  is 
delicate  and  the  English  so  pure  that  in  the  midst  of  nov- 
_  Indifferently  written  we  must  pause  to  admire.  I  like  the 
k^ltar  dreamer,”  “Light  of  Scarthey”  and  “Young  April,”  too; 
ajfit  the  story  of  Geiger  Hans,  the  wandering  singer  of  youth, 
tq|>peals  to  me  more,  perhaps,  than  any  of  these.  In  addition 
a  charming  love  story  it  tells  of  a  man  who,  in  loving  serv- 
for  others,  tries  to  forget  his  own  deeply  tragic  past. 


.34 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


DeMorgan,  W.  Joseph  Vance.  1  6 9b 

While  I  like  the  entire  book.  I  must  confess  that  t<f  HJ® 
Joey’s  father  is  the  most  interesting-  character  in  it.  Tint  01(1 
rascal’s  success  in  business  is  an  amusing  instance  of  the 
known  adage,  that  the  world  values  us  as  we  value  oursellves- 

Fowler,  E.  T.  Concerning  Isabel  Carnaby.  «  69b 

When  this  novel  appeared  a  few  years  ago  it  was  or/e  oA- 
the  most  popular  books  -of  the  day,  and  rightly  so,  for  it|}vas 
cleverly  written  and  replete  with  amusing  conversations— 
bel  herself  being  very  skilful  at  repartee. 

Francis,  M.  E.  Simple  annals.  efi^b 

These  short  stories  of  the  lives  of  English  working-woirTen 
are  beautifully  and  sympathetically  written.  I 

Hardy,  T.  Return  of  the  native.  61^6 

I  like  this  book  for  its  description  of  Egdon  Heath,  whi 
is  wonderful. 

Harland,  H.  My  friend  Prospero. 

This  lovely  fairy  tale  of  a  beautiful  princess,  a  pious  lit 
girl,  a  lover  and  a  world  of  sunshine,  birds  and  flowers  is  gc 
to  read  when  one  wishes  to  rest  awhile  from  the  cares  a 
worries  of  the  world.  It  reminds  one  of  the  “Abbe  Constant 
— another  favorite  of  mine. 

Hilty,  C.  Happiness.  1 

One  reason  why  this  book  is  interesting  to  me  is  that 
author  writes  not  as  a  preacher,  but  as  a  layman.  He  g* 

“the  testimony  of  a  spiritually-minded  man  of  the  world.” 

Lee,  Vernon,  pseud,  for  Violet  Paget.  Hortus  vitae. 

A  volume  of  essays,  embracing  a  wide  variety  of  subje 
pleasing  on  account  of  the  many  bits  of  humor  and  kin 
philosophy  it  contains.  The  author  does  well  to  remind 
that  “It  is  no  use  relying  on  artists,  poets,  philosophers 
saints  to  make  something  of  the  enclosed  spaces  or  the  wa 
portions  of  our  souls:  ‘II  faut  cultiver  notre  jardin’ — ‘We  rp 
cultivate  our  garden.’  ” 

Lever,  C.  Charles  O’Malley,  the  Irish  dragoon. 

I  read  this  first  one  summer  while  visiting  some  Ii 
friends  who  had  a  number  of  Lever  novels  in  their  library.  H 
gallant  O’Malley  was  the  most  entertaining  acquaintanci 
had  made  in  my  reading  up  to  that  time  and  I  couldn’t 
how  fair  Lucy  Dashwood  could  resist  him  so  lo^"!  The  sto 
of  Irish  country  life,  as  well  as  those  of  adventures  in  forei! 
lands,  are  most  exhilarating.  I  have  read  the  book  four  tim 


Marryat,  Capt.  Frederick.  Children  of  the  New  Forest. 

It  is  a  sad  commentary  on  the  literary  life  of  the  village  | 
which  I  was  born  that  the  circulating  library  coul'd  not  be 


Ipt 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


35 


circij 

greal 

of  tl 

age, I 

Scot 

brail 

the 

we 

knol 

est”l 

littlf 

fore 

he£ 

lee 

wei 

do| 

pa] 

ga 

Fil 

ch| 

all 


Rating.  Nevertheless  to  this  woeful  fact  I  owe  one  of  the 
[test  pleasures  in  my  life, — acquaintance  with  the  Children 
fie  New  Forest, — for  this  book,  with  Marryat’s  “Little  Sav- 
Abbott’s  “Empress  Josephine”  and  “Mary,  Queen  of 
Is,”  and  some  others,  fell  to  our  share  when  finally  the  li¬ 
ly  was  divided  among  the  members.  Mother  first  told  us 
■Marryat  stories  in  the  evenings  before  bed  time;  then  when 
Jearned  to  read  we  eagerly  sought  these  books  and  came  to 
|vv  them  almost  by  heart.  The  “Children  of  the  New  For- 
was  our  favorite  because  it  related  the  adventures  of  four 
^  Cavalier  refugees  who  went  to  live  with  Jacob,  an  old 
Kster,  their  own  home  having  been  burned  by  the  Round- 
lias.  Marvelous,  indeed,  were  the  things  these  children 
Irned:  They  lassoed  wild  horses  and  cattle  in  the  forest;  they 
|nt  hunting  with  Jacob,  stalking  the  deer  and  bringing  them 
vn  in  good  fashion,  afterwards  making  wonderful  venison 
Jsties;  they  hid  in  the  fern  whenever  the  Roundheads  came 
flloping  by — each  day  bringing  new  and  interesting  tasks, 
■rally  at  the  time  of  the  Restoration  the  king  returned  to  the 
|ildren  their  property,  which  had  been  confiscated,  and  they 
lived  happily  ever  after.  Such  stories  make  a  wonderful 
J>peal  to  a  child’s  imagination.  In  this  book  I  first  recognized 
le  charm  of  such  words  as  dell,  copse,  bracken  and  thicket; 
Id  to  this  source  also  I  owe  my  first  knowledge  of  Oliver 
|omwell,  the  Restoration,  Roundheads  and  Cavaliers. 


No.  18 


anj 

pi  a  d 

Wei 

sea| 

Wh 

be  | 

wl 


Cal 


ser 

Ch| 


syl 


j  I  much  prefer  the  survey  and  government  documents  to 
I  other  non-fiction  and  to  a  great  deal  of  fiction.  In  the  first 
be,  they  are  “tense  with  human  interest”  as  the  “Publishers’ 
pkly”  would  say;  they  are  up-to-date,  concise,  true.  And  the 
rch  for  the  author’s  personality  has  unlimited  possibilities. 
Ken  you  are  wasting  time  on  the  cars,  for  instance,  you  can 
J  imagining  what  sort  of  a  person  wrote  that  article,  and 
|y. 

rroll,  Lewis.  Alice  in  Wonderland  and  Through  the 
booking  Glass.  70 

I  chortle  again  and  again  at  the  rather  peculiar  sporting 
Ise  of  the  queen,  at  “pig  and  pepper,”  at  the  fat  vanishing 
pshire,  and  so  on  ad  infin. 


bero.  Letters. 


876 


It  is  a  shame  that  most  of  us  on  account  of  struggles  with 
itax  and  grammar  in  High  School,  will  have  nothing  to  do 
Ith  things  Ciceronian  when  we  are  grown.  Cicero  was  really 
[“great  old  chap,”  as  human  as  could  be.  His  letters  are  as 
ptimate  and  delightful  as  Stevenson’s.  I  like  best  the  ones 
ritten  by  the  loving  but  business-like  father  to  the  little 
fillia. 

Strahan-Davidson’s  well-written  life  helps  a  great  deal. 


36 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


I 


Poster,  C.  H.  Cookery  for  little  girls. 

Every  recipe  is  sensible  and  practicable. 

The  chapter  on  The  Interesting  Potato  is  unsurpassed 
inspirational  reading.  Like  finding  sermons  in  stones, 
may  find  a  moral  in  potatoes,  for  ‘“every  girl  should  know 
to  cook  potatoes  properly  .  .  .  but  how  often  are 
served  wet  and  soggy!” 

Grahame,  Kenneth.  Golden  age. 


641 

for 

one 

iow 

hey 


59b 

nth 


I,  too,  in  my  childhood  lived  under  the  same  roof 
Olympians  “those  elders,  our  betters  by  a  trick  of  cha 
whose  existence  seemed  to  be  entirely  void  of  interests 
as  their  habits  were  stereotyped  and  senseless.”  And  then 
saddening  doubt,  a  dull  suspicion,  creeps  over  me.  Can  it 
that  I  also  have  become  an  Olympian?” 


A 

be  * 


Howells,  W.  D.  Rise  of  Silas  Lapham.  GS 

So  thoroughly  American. 

Irving,  Washington.  Sketch  book.  81 

In  spite  of  modern  improvements,  particularly  billboarc 
the  Catskill  country  will  always  seem  to  me  a  succession 
Sleepy  Hollows  and  prosperous  Dutch  farms  where  bloomii 
Katrina  Van  Tassels  are  forever  baking  spicy  cakes. 

Plato.  Phaedo. 

The  last  few  pages,  where  Socrates  drinks  tne  heml(_ 
poison,  are  the  most  dramatic  and  tragic  I  know.  The  traiP3^ 
lation  by  Church  in  the  Golden  Treasury  series  is  perfect] 
its  simplicity  and  naturalness. 

Pyle,  Howard.  Merry  Adventures  of  Robin  Hood. 

Truly  “merry.” 

Scott,  Sir  Walter.  Ivanhoe. 

“A  tale  which  holdeth  children  from  play  and  old  m]^ 
from  the  chimney  corner.” 


Thackeray,  W.  M.  Vanity  Fair. 


9b 


In  “Before  the  Curtain,”  Thackeray  says:  “There 
scenes  of  all  sorts;  some  dreadful  combats,  some  grand 
lofty  horse-riding,  some  scenes  of  high  life  and  some  of 
middling  indeed;  some  love-making  for  the  sentimental,  afr> 
some  light  comic  business,  the  whole  accompanied  by  appfDd 
priate  scenery,  and  brilliantly  illuminated  with  the  authol 
own  candles.”  I  wish  more  authors  nowadays  would  try  Vs 
obtain  candles  like  Thackeray’s  instead  of  the  Tungstens  aik° 
searchlights  of  “realism.”  J1(* 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


37 


No.  19 


f.cassin  and  Nicolette,  done  into  English  by  Andrew 
l,ang.  (Mosher.)  69b 

There  is  an  air  of  simplicity  and  refinement  in  this  little 
loft^e  story.  It  is  full  of  sorrow,  yet  I  felt  the  keenest  joy  in 
th*jb  manner  of  the  adventures  and  the  exquisite  expression  of 
naBture. 

Barrie,  J.  M.  Neither  Dorking  nor  the  Abbey.  1910.  828 

A  wonderful  prose  intimation  of  immortality,  simple,  sin- 
bre  and  beautiful.  It  is  a  perfect  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
leorge  Meredith. 

phesterton,  G.  K.  Alarms  and  discursions.  1911.  824 

There  is  a  surprising  amount  of  truth  and  beauty  among 
tMlie  clever  sayings  of  Gilbert  Chesterton.  The  essay  called 
|The  glory  of  grey,”  in  this  book,  is  very  attractive. 

808.8 

This  little  anthology  contains  many  delightful  poems  and 
|its  of  prose. 

750 

I  like  this  because  it  is  such  a  clear  and  readable  attempt 
bring  about  a  right  perception  of  the  spirit  and  meaning 
art-  There  is  also  good  critical  comment  on  the  work  of 
^e  modern  schools  of  painting. 

Morgan,  W.  F.  A  likely  story.  1911.  69b 

I  find  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  in  the  style  of  De  Morgan, 
lenjoyed  the  humor  and  character  drawing  of  this  story  very 
luch  but  the  Italian  prototype  is  more  interesting  to  me  than 
lie  modern  setting. 


Dj 

I 

ml 

tl 


Couch,  Sir  A.  T.  Q.-  The  pilgrim’s  way.  1907. 


fox,  K.  The  classic  point  of  view.  1911. 


bickens,  C.  David  Copperfield. 


69b 


There  is  more  of  human  quality  in  this  book,  and  less 
[caggeration,  than  in  any  of  Dickens’  books  I  have  read.  It 
perfectly  charming  all  the  way  through. 

Iddy,  A.  J.  Recollections  and  impressions  of  James  Mc- 
|  Neill  Whistler.  97b 

This  was  my  first  introduction  to  the  fascinating  and  er- 
Jtic  personality  of  this  genius.  I  have  been  reading  aboqt 
jim  ever  since. 

}alsworthy,  J.  Motley.  1910.  828 

The  expression  of  everyday  impressions  is  extraordinary. 
More  than  any  book  I  have  read,  does  this  one  show  the  mere 
power  of  writing. 


38 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Lockwood,  L.  E.,  and  Kelley,  A.  R.  Letters  that  live.  9l 
Usually  I  don’t  care  for  collections  of  letters,  but  thtj 
are  most  interesting-  and  possess  rare  charm. 

Merejkowski,  D.  S.  The  romance  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci. 

The  lives  of  the  artists  of  the  Italian  Renaissance  have 
ways  interested  me,  and  this  very  fascinating  story  is  a  fi| 
portrayal  of  the  life  and  times  of  Leonardo. 

Gerard  de  Nerval.  Sylvie,  tr.  by  L.  Page.  (Mosher.)  6tl 
I  like  this  little  idyll  for  the  spirit  of  youth  and  sprir| 
time  which  fills  it. 

Pater,  W.  Imaginary  portraits.  1901.  82j 

Of  these  “The  Prince  of  Court  Painters”  is  my  favorite. 

Pyle,  H.  The  story  of  King  Arthur  and  his  knights.  j39$l 
I  like  everything  that  Howard  Pyle  has  written  or  drawn! 
This  particular  book  is  full  of  beauty  and  romance,  and  thT 
story  of  King  Arthur  is  well  told  both  in  words  and  pic| 
tures. 

Couch,  Sir  A.  T.  Q.-  Brother  Copas.  1911.  691| 

I  like  the  historical  associations  of  this  book,  the  philos<s 
phy  of  Brother  Copas,  and  the  scholarly  atmosphere  whiq 
pervades  the  story. 

Ruskin,  J.  Sesame  and  lilies.  8! 

The  dignity  and  charm  of  the  influence  of  good  boo 
and  character  is  beautifully  expressd.  I  like  all  Ruskin 
writings;  he  has  such  wonderful  strength  in  word  structure 


20 

|se 


Sand,  G.,  pseud.  Master  mosaic  workers. 


69 


I  enjoyed  the  picture  of  the  life  of  the  craft  workers  c 
the  Renaissance,  and  the  color  and  charm  that  Venice  give 
to  everything. 

Schreiner,  O.  Dreams. 

A  most  beautiful  allegory  on  the  meaning 
poetic  and  imaginative  quality. 

Stevenson,  R.  L.  Child's  garden  of  verses. 

These  lovely  poems  of  childhood  are  like  memory  rathe 
than  invention. 

Vasari,  G.  Lives  of  the  painters,  sculptors  and  architects.  97 
The  very  atmosphere  of  the  time  and  manner  is  preserved 
in  these  quaint  and  interesting  lives  of  the  artists. 


69 

of  lue,  full  c 


j82 


BOOKS  I  LIKE  AND  WHY  I  LIKE  THEM 


39 


No.  20 


.rowning,  R.  Blot  on  the  ’scutcheon.  822 

Tresham’s  love  for  his  sister  is  one  of  the  most  appeal- 
lg  things  I  know. 


Crockett,  S.  R.  Black  Douglas. 

I  like  it  because  it  is  so  bloodthirsty. 


69b 


sickens,  Chas.  Bleak  House.  69b 

A  curious  combination  of  the  finest  kind  of  a  detective 
tory  and  a  homely  chronicle  of  simple  and  beautiful  lives. 

[France,  A.  Le  livre  de  mon  ami.  69e 

Charming  revelation  of  a  child’s  heart. 

lardy,  Thos.  Pair  of  blue  eyes.  69b 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  tell  why  I  like  this  book  so  well 
— perhaps  it  is  because  Elfrida  is  such  a  human  person  to  me. 

jlrving,  W.  Alhambra.  914.6 

A  collection  to  absorb  bit  by  bit  with  unlimited  time  for 
lights  of  imagination  between  stories. 

pames,  Henry.  Portrait  of  a  lady.  69b 

A  favorite  because  of  the  character  of  Ralph  Touchett. 

|anvier,  Thos.  Aztec  treasure  house,  69b 

A  delightfully  impossible  adventure  and  so  well  told  that 
is  almost  convincing. 


^oti,  Pierre.  An  Iceland  fisherman. 

Mr,  Loti  is  such  a  skillful  workman 
bhere  he  creates  is  positively  spell-binding. 


69b 


that  the  at^os- 
The  Iceland  fish¬ 
erman  carries  the  reader  into  the  cold  North  and  around  the 
rorld  to  China,  and  into  the  heart  of  his  heroine  with  a  charm 
|hat  it  is  difficult  to  equal. 

larsh,  C.  L.  Opening  the  oyster.  910.4 

A  stunning  adventure  story.  I  read  it  first  when  I  was 
Jery  young  and  I  have  returned  to  it  a  number  of  times. 

lason,  A.  E.  W.  Four  feathers.  69b 

I  like  this  book  because  it  is  such  a  good  story. 

)vid.  Selections  from  the  Metamorphoses.  871 

Attractive  at  first  because  of  the  pleasant  change  from 
the  drudgery  of  Caesar.  Later  familiarity  made  the  musical 
lines  a  pleasure. 


40  ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

Parkman,  F.  LaSalle  and  the  discovery  of  the  Great  j 
West.  973, 

The  author  makes  LaSalle  a  personal  hero.  The  bigne£ 
of  the  man  and  the  tragedy  of  his  life  are  wonderfully  handle*} 

Rostand,  E.  Princess  Far-away.  84r 

The  atmosphere  of  the  little  play  lingers  with  the  readq 
a  long  time. 

Schiller,  J.  C.  F.  Wilhelm  Tell.  83}: 

The  inspiring  lines  should  make  a  patriot  of  the  moa 
hopeless  clod.  I 

Tolstoi,  L.  Anna  Karenina.  69c 

One  is  divided  between  admiration  for  the  story  itsell 
and  its  telling. 


AUTHOR  LIST  AND  INDEX 


List  No. 

‘/ddams,  J.  Twenty  years  at  Hull.  House .  9 

"lien,  J.  L.  A  summer  in  Arcady . . . _ .  7 

"rmiel,  H.  F.  Amiel’s  journal . .  3 

fmdersen,  H.  C.  Wonder  book . . .  8 


mnunzio,  G.  d’.  Francesca  da  Rimini.. 


19 


.  ^  iunvvova  ivunuu .  a.  ^ 

"Arabian  nights .  2 

^rnold,  M.  Sohrab  and  Rustum .  6 

Aucassin  and  Nicolette,  tr.  by  Andrew  Lang.  (Mosher)  9 

Austen,  J.  Pride  and  prejudice .  1 

~ - Emma  . : .  4 

flaldry,  A.  L.  Sir  John  Everett  Millais .  16 

Balzac,  H.  Pere  Goriot .  4 

Barrie,  J.  Ml  Little  minister .  10 

- - Margaret  Ogilvie  . 11 

~ - Neither  Dorking  nor  the  Abbey .  19 

Sazin,  R.  La  terre  qui  meurt . . .  3 

rSennett,  E.  A.  Buried  alive .  9 

Benson,  A.  C.  Thread  of  gold....A .  3 

^enson,  E.  F.  Book  of  months .  17 

~j — The  Osbornes  .  3 

irernard  of  Cluny.  De  conspectu  coeli .  2 

D 

R  . 

jornsen,  B.  Synnove  Solbakken .  14 

lake,  Wm.  Poems .  12 

orrow,  G.  Romany  Rye . 12 

randes,  G.  M.  C.  On  reading .  11 

rookfield,  C.  H.  E.  and  Mrs.  F.  Mrs.  Brookfield  and  her 

circle  .  3 

rooks,  Bp.  P.  Life  and  letters,  by  Alexander  V.  G.  Allen  13 

— Sermons  . 13 

rowning,  E.  B.  Sonnets  from  the  Portuguese . 10,  15 

rowning,  R.  Poems . . .  14 

t — Blot  on  the  'scutcheon . : . - .  20 

f — In  a  balcony . . . . . -  10 

■The  ring  and  the  book . 8 

■and  E.  B.  Letters . - .  5 

ryce,  J.  American  commonwealth .  2 

unyan,  J.  Pilgrim’s  progress .  14 

Surne-Jones,  Lady .  Memoirs  of  Sir  Edward  Burne-Jones  12 


42 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


List  ] 

Burnett,  F.  H.  Dawn  of  a  to-morrow . 

Burns,  R.  Poems . 4, 

Burton,  Sir  R.  Pilgrimage  to  El  Medinah  and  Meccah.... 

Cable,  G.  W.  Grandissimes,  and  other  Creole  stories . 

Carlyle,  Mrs.  J.  B.  (W.)  Letters  and  memorials . . 

Carmichael,  M.  Life  of  John  William  Walshe . 

Carroll,  L.,  pseud.  Alice  in  Wonderland . 4, 

- Through  the  looking  glass . 

Castle,  A.  and  E.  If  youth  but  knew . . 

Cellini,  B.  Autobiography . 

Chaucer,  G.  Canterbury  tales:  The  prologue . . . 

Chesterton,  G.  K.  Alarms  and  discursions . 

Cholmondeley,  M.  The  Danvers  jewels . 

Cicero.  Letters  . 

Clemens,  S.  L.  Following  the  equator . . . 

- Huckleberry  Finn  . 

- Innocents  abroad  . 

- Personal  recollections  of  Joan  of  Arc . 

- Prince  and  the  pauper . . 

- Pudd’nhead  Wilson  . 11, 

Coleridge,  S.  T.  The  ancient  mariner . 

Conrad,  J.  Romance  . . . 

Cotes,  Mrs.  S.  J.  A  social  departure . 

Couch,  Sir  A.  T.  Q.-  Brother  Copas.... . 

• — — Oxford  book  of  English  verse . 

- The  pilg'rim’s  way . 

Coulevain,  P.  de.  L’isle  inconnue . 

Cox,  K.  Classic  point  of  view. . . 

Crockett,  S.  R.  Black  Douglas . . . 

Crothers,  S.  M.  Gentle  reader . 

Darwin,  C.  Origin  of  species . 

Daudet,  A.  Letters  from  my  mill . 

- Tartarin  on  the  Alps . 

Deland,  M.  Old  Chester  Tales . 

DeMorgan,  W.  Joseph  Vance . 

- A  likely  story . . . . . . 

DeQuincey,  T.  Confessions  of  an  English  opium  eater . 

Dickens,  C.  Bleak  house . . . 

- David  Copperfield  . . . — 

- Our  mutual  friend . 

- Pickwick  papers  . . . . 

- Tale  of  two  cities . 3, 


9 

1;3 

9 
10 

h 

i 

10 

5 


AUTHOR  LIST  AND  INDEX  43 

List  No. 

[ickinson,  G.  L.  Letters  from  a  Chinese  official .  5 

[oyle,  A.  C.  Sherlock  Holmes . 2,  10 

Lrummond,  W.  H.  Johnnie  Courteau  and  other  poems....  14 

lumas,  A.  Three  musketeers .  9 

■unbar,  P.  L.  Folks  from  Dixie .  4 

runcan,  N.  Dr.  Luke  of  the  Labrador .  16 

ddy,  A.  J.  Recollections  of  Whistler . . .  19 

Llwardes,  T.  Lift  luck  on  southern  roads . . .  3 

llwards,  A.  B.  Thousand  miles  up  the  Nile .  11 

liot,  G.,  pseud.  Adam  Bede . .... , .  10 

l — Daniel  Deronda  .  6 

P— ^Middlemarch  .  8 

| — Silas  Marner  . . . .  4 

merson,  R.  W.  Essays . ...6,  14 

vans,  R.  D.  A  sailor’s  log .  11 

velyn,  J.  Diary .  3 

arnol,  J.  Broad  highway . 13 

ields,  J.  T.  Yesterdays  with  authors .  11 

iske,  J.  Critical  period  of  American  history .  6 

I — Idea  of  God . . .  8 

letcher,  B.  and  B.  F.  History  of  architecture .  1 

ioster,  C.  H.  Cookery  for  little  girls .  18 

lowler,  E  T.  Concerning  Isabel  Carnaby .  17 

lance,  A.  Le  livre  de  mon  ami .  20 

rancis,  M.  E.  Simple  annals . .  17 

ranck,  H.  A.  Vagabond  journey .  3 

lilsworthy,  J.  Fraternity.. .  5 

I — Little  dream  .  9 

I — Motley  . 19 

f — The  patrician  . 9 

■iskell,  Mrs.  E.  C.  Cranford .  10 

fcrard  de  Nerval...  Sylvie,  tr.  by  L.  Page.  (Mosher.) .  19 

llbert,  W.  S..  The  Bab  ballads .  8 

Lahame,  K.  Golden  age . 4,  18 

lay,  T.  Ele^y  written  in  a  country  church-yard .  6 

jeely,  A.  W.  Three  years  of  Arctic  service .  10 

l*een,  J.  R.  History  of  the  English  people .  6 

nregory,  A.  (P.)  Lady.  Gods  and  fighting  men .  1 

juerin,  E  de  Journal . . . . .  1 

[ulick,  L.  H.  The  efficient  life .  11 

— Mind  and  work . . . 11 

ardy,  T.  Far  from  the  madding  crowd .  14 


44 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


- Pair  of  blue  eyes . . . 

- Return  of  the  native . . . . . 

Harland,  H.  My  friend  Prospero . . 

- Short  Stories  . . 

Harper’s  young  people  . 

Harris,  J.  C.  Uncle  Remus . . . . 

Hawthorne,  N.  Twice  told  tales . . 

— • — .Wonder  books  for  girls  and  boys . 

Hearn,  L.  Japan . . . 

Heine,  PL  All  his  lyrics . 

Henry,  O.,  pseud.  Short  stories . . . 

Hensel,  S.  The  Mendelssohn  family . 

Hewlett,  M.  The  queen’s  quair . 

Hichens,  R.  S.  Garden  of  Allah . 

Hilly,  C.  Happiness . . 

Holmes,  O.  W.  Autocrat  of  the  breakfast  table. 

Homer.  Odyssey;  tr.  by  Palmer . 

Hope,  A.,  pseud.  Dolly  dialogues . 


- Phroso  . 

Horatius  Flaccus,  Q.  Odes . . 

Howells,  W.  D.  Rise  of  Silas  Lapham. 

Hugo,  V.  M..  Les  Miserables . . . . 

- ’Ninety-three  . 

- Poems  . 

Huneker,  J.  G.  Iconoclasts . 

• - Overtones  . . . 


Hyde,  D.  W.  From  Epicurus  to  Christ . 

Ibsen,  H.  Peer  Gynt . . . 

Irving,  W.  Alhambra . 

- Astoria  . 

- Sketch  book  . 

Jacobs,  W.  W.  Light  freights . 

James,  H.  Portrait  of  a  lady . 

- The  Princess  Casamassima . 

James,  Wm.  Talks  to  teachers  on  psychology. 

Janvier,  T.  Aztec  treasure  house . 

- In  the  Sargasso  Sea . 

Jefferies,  R.  Field  and  hedgerow . 

- Life  of  the  fields . 

Jenks,  T.  In  the  days  of  Goldsmith . 

Jewett,  S.  O.  [Stories] . . . 

Johnson,  C.  Isle  of  the  Shamrock . ... 


List  > 


-9, 

.14, 


.A, 


fo. 

>0 

7 

7 

2 

3 
1 
6 
6 

9 
2 
2 
1 
5 
'0 

7 
2 
2 
2 
2 
5 

8 

10 
1 

15 

11 
7 
9 

20 

4 
18 

16 

20 

7* 

0 

13 

[20 

5 
1 
2 
4 
0 

6 


AUTHOR  LIST  AND  INDEX 


45 


K 


List  No. 

Anville,  J.  de.  St.  Louis,  King  of  France .  1 

J^elly,  M.  Little  citizens .  9 

K| — .Wards  of  liberty . . .  9 

..ingsley,  C.  Hereward  the  Wake . . .  12 

— Letters  and  memories  of  his  life .  14 

ipling,  R.  The  five  nations .  16 

— The  jungle  book . 5,  6,  10 

~r — Kim  . 8,  13 

~l — [Short  stories] . .  2 

Tjagerloef,  S.  O.  L.  The  wonderful  adventures  of  Nils....  9 

Hamb,  C.  Essays  of  Elia . 5,  14 

Hear,  E.  Nonsense  songs . . . 8,  13,  14 

”jee,  V.,  pseud.  Hortus  vitae .  17 


ever,  C.  Charles  O’Malley,  the  Irish  drag'oon .  17 


Hockwood,  L.  E.,  and  Kelley,  A.  R.  Letters  that  live .  19 

Hondon,  J.  Call  of  the  wild . . .  7 

rtoti,  P.,  pseud.  An  Iceland  fisherman .  20 

ir»owe,  W.  H.  Chronicle  of  friendships .  3 

^  ucas,  E.  V.,  ed.  The  open  road;  a  little  book  for  way- 

[acaulay,  T.  Lays  of  ancient  Rome .  12 

[aeterlinck,  M.  Pelleas  and  Melisande .  3 

jvalory,  Sir  T.  Morte  d’ Arthur .  12 

^[arryat,  Capt.  F.  Children  of  the  New  Forest .  17 

^arsh,  C.  L.  Opening  the  oyster .  26 

artin,  Mrs.  G.  (M.)  Emmy  Lou . 5,  13 

ason,  A.  E.  W.  Four  feathers .  20 

lville,  G.  W.  In  the  Lena  delta .  2 

redith,  G.  Egoist . 4 

erejkowski,  D.  S.  The  romance  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci..  19 
^eynell,  Mrs.  A.  C.  (T.)  The  rhythm  of  life,  and  other 

Alton,  J.  Lycidas .  6 

Mitchell,  J.  A.  Villa  Claudia. .  15 

odern  ghosts  . . . . .  8 

oody,  W.  V.  The  fire  bringer . .  5 

oore,  T.  Epicurean .  12 

organ,  L.  H.  Ancient  society . 7 

orley,  M.  W.  Life  and  love .  7 

orris,  W.  Story  of  Sigurd .  7 

Well  at  the  world’s  end . 3,  8 


46 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


List  N'  3 

Motley,  J.  L.  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic 

Nicolay,  J.  G.,  and  Hay,  J.  Abraham  Lincoln..... .  1 

Ouida,  pseud.  Under  two  flags . 

Ovid.  Selections  from  the  Metamorphoses .  2  q 

Palmer,  A.  F.  Life,  by  G.  H.  Palmer .  1  3 

Parker,  Sir  G.  Pierre  and  his  people . . .  1 

Parkman,  F.  La  Salle  and  the  discovery  of  the  Great 

West. . 14,  2  q 

Pater,  W.  Appreciations 

- Imaginary  portraits  .  1 

Peabody,  J.  P.  The  piper. 

Pennell,  J.  P.  Modern  illustration .  1 

Pepys,  S.  Diary . ' . 

Phillpotts,  E.  Three  brothers . 

- Secret  woman  . .  1 

Plato.  Phaedo  . - . .  1 

Poe,  E.  A.  [Short  stories] 

Pyle,  H.  Mterry  Adventures  of  Robin  Hood. . 12,  llg 

- Story  of  King  Arthur  and  his  knights . *  1 

Roberts,  C.  G.  D.  Heart  of  the  ancient  wood .  1 

Robins,  E.  Magnetic  north .  1 

Roosevelt,  T.  American  ideals 

Rostand,  E.  Cyrano  de  Berg'erac .  1 

- Princess  Far-away  . ... 

Ruskin,  J.  Modern  painters . 

- Nature  of  Gothic,  fr.  Stones  of  Venice .  1 

- Sesame  and  lilies . . . - .  1  9 

Russell,  W.  C.  The  frozen  pirate .  (g 

Sand,  G.,  pseud.  Master  mosaic  workers .  I9 

Sandars,  M.  F.  Honore  de  Balzac .  14 

Schiller,  J.  C.  F.  Wilhelm  Tell .  J?o 

Schreiner,  O.  Dreams . J19 

Scott,  Sir  W.  Ivanhoe .  1 

- Lady  of  the  lake.... 

- Old  Mortality  . . 

- Quentin  Durward 

-The  Talisman  . . . . .  1 

Shakespeare,  W.  Plays  and  sonnets 

- As  you  like  it . 

-Hamlet  .  5 

-Macbeth  .  5 


AUTHOR  LIST  AND  INDEX  47 

List  No. 

- The  tempest  . 8 

Sharp,  W.  (Fiona  McLeod).  Dominion  of  dreams;  Under 

the  dark  star .  9 

Shaw,  G.  B.  Plays .  5 

Shelley,  P.  B.  The  sensitive  plant .  8 

Smith,  F.  H.  Gondola  days . .  1 

i  Snaith,  J.  C.  Araminta .  12 

Sophocles.  Antigone  . 12 

Steel,  F.  A.  On  the  face  of  the  waters .  16 

Stephens,  C.  A.  Camping  out .  10 

f  Stevenson,  R.  L.  [Complete  works] .  8 

- Child’s  garden  of  verses . : . 19 

- Travels  with  a  donkey . .  1 

- Treasure  Island  .  14 

Stockton,  F.  R.  Queen’s  museum  and  other  fanciful  tales  12 

Sudermann,  H.  Dame  Care . 15 

Sue,  E.  History  of  a  proletarian  family .  7 

Survey  . . . . : .  18 

Tennyson,  A.  Idylls  of  the  king, . 1,  10 

- Locksley  Hall  . 6 

- Poetic  and  dramatic  works  . *...• .  16 

Thackeray,  W.  M.  Henry  Esmond . . . 5,  6 

- Vanity  Fair  . . . . . , . . .  18 

- Virginians  . 10 

Theocritus.  Idylls  . 1 

Thomas  of  Celano .  Dies  irae . . .  2 

Thompson,  E.  S.  Lives  of  the  hunted .  6 

Thompson,  F.  Shelley . ' .  12 

Tolstoi,  L.  Anna  Karenina . . . — .  20 

- The  resurrection  . 8 

- War  and  peace . .. .  5 

Trollope,  A.  Novels,  esp.  Barchester  series .  2 

Trevelyan,  Sir  G.  O.  American  revolution .  2 

Turgenev,  I.  S.  Fathers  and  children .  11 

U.  S.  Government  Documents . . . 18 

Van  Dyke,  H.  J.  Other  wise  man . . .  16 

^  Vasari,  G.  Lives  of  the  painters . .  19 

Waddington,  Mrs.  M.  A.  (K.)  Country  life  in  France .  3 

V^ard,  Mrs.  M.  A.  (A.)  Sir  George  Tressady .  10 

Warft  T.  H.  English  poets . . . . .  13 

Watson,  J.  Beside  the  bonny  brier  bush .  16 

*  Wells,  H.  G.  Future  in  America .  9 


3  0112  072628651 


Mfl 


48 


ST.  LOUIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


List  No  ^ 

— — A  modern  Utopia .  8  f| 

- [Stories]  . . . 

Wendell,  B.  The  France  of  today .  ll  s| 

White,  S.  E.  Rules  of  the  game . . .  If  | 

- Silent  places  . 13 

Whitman,  W.  The  open  road .  8  j 

Wilde,  O.  Importance  of  being  earnest .  12 

- House  of  pomegranates .  11  [ 

Wilkins,  M.  E.  Short  stories . 

Wister,  O.  Lady  Baltimore . .  2| 

- Virginian  . 1( 

Wordsworth,  W.  Intimations  of  immortality . 

Wyss,  J.  R.  Swiss  Family  Robinson .  lCjJ 

Yeats,  W.  B.  Land  of  the  heart’s  desire . 


SUMMARY  BY  CLASSES. 


No.  of  books. 

General  works  .  2 

Philosophy  . 3 

Religion  . 8 

Sociology  . „ .  5 

Natural  science  .  4 

Useful  arts  .  1 

Fine  arts  . 6 

Poetry  .  37 

Drama  . 18 

Adult  fiction  . 139 

Children’s  fiction  .  21 

Literature  .  30 

History  .  6 

Travel  . 18 

Biography  .  24 


. 

fill 

mm 


Total 


..322 


SHELLY  PRINT 
SAINT  LOUIS 


